Garmin’s Varia Rearview Radar device is the first wireless alert system to detect vehicles coming up behind the cyclist, communicating with compatible Garmin head units to alert the rider. Thanks to a new ANT+ open standard for radars, perhaps it’ll start talking to other brands of cycling computers, too.
The Varia is the first unit to use the new standard, which will transmit real time speed and distance data of the vehicles behind the cyclist. It does not, however, capture positional data, so it won’t tell you if the driver is on a collision course.
The standardized protocol opens the door to other parties to incorporate the data into their displays and head units, and to sensor manufacturers to develop additional radar options.
