Volvo has been on a roll lately when it comes to safety innovations that focus outside the vehicle as much as inside. After setting the goal for zero pedestrians or cyclists to be killed or seriously injured by a new Volvo in 2020, the company has been rolling out new concepts to help make that a reality. The latest idea isn’t part of a car at all. Instead, it is a reflective safety paint that goes on clear. Designed to help make anything it covers more visible to motorists, the paint is invisible by day but explodes in light when illuminated at night.
Check out the paint in action…
Available immediately, Life paint is being sold on a trial basis in six London and Kent based bike shops, which includes Peloton in Spitalfields which is actually giving away 2000 cans. Designed with creative agency Grey London and Swedish start up Albedo 100, the paint will be available internationally if proven popular. Life Paint is water based and can be applied to any fabric so it will be useful outside of the cycling world as well. That means that it also washes off and lasts about a week after the initial application. The clear paint won’t affect the color or surface of the intended target other than making it reflective. In the video above the bicycles are reflective as well, which have been painted with oil based reflective paint available from Albedo 100, and not the Life Paint.
Looks funking amazing
take my money now!
This would make me consider a Volvo when I purchase my next vehicle
I’d buy this in a heartbeat!
I’m going to spray my kids for trick-or-treating.
So what is reflective in the paint? The fact that it just washes off your clothes and you have to continually apply it raises some health and environmental questions. Just because its water based doesn’t mean its non-toxic.
Bring it! Too bad they’re not selling outside of Britland yet. The permanent spray for bikes seems more interesting than the wash-of one for clothes.
This one seems to ship globally, though:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Albedo100-Reflective-Spray-Horse-Pets/dp/B00JM7PYHG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1427485865&sr=1-1&keywords=Albedo100
It’s a spray for horses and pets(!), but presumably it works on hair and beards too…
Or… We could get serious about bicycle visibility, and worry less about “fashion”.
They are spraying this on black clothing. If you are wearing black clothing at night, maybe you should don something visible before whipping out a can of temporary spray paint.
Oh, and add reflective bits and lights to your bike. Save your matte-black kit and murdered-out rides for a daylight ride with your chums.
environmental effects may be outweighed by the end result.
I want to buy it and sell it in my shop.
Really a bummer that it doesnt last.
Love it. Fantastic. Would love to get the distribution for Australia / NZ.
Such a shame it washes off. What about applying it, then a clear coat over the top to make it permanent?
GREAT IDEA!
Also, people, just hit it with a clear coat!
Clear coat over retro reflector changes the index of refraction. = failure
I want it too!! And i hope it will be available in rest of Europe soon!!!
Volvo better starts delivering safer cars for cyclists, than the people driving their cars.
It seems that reflection was edited over the actual footage, I’d like to see some real life review before believing in this.
A clear coat over the spray would work so long as the clear coat could bond properly. While the clear coat would have a different index of refraction than the spray, it would NOT make the spray ineffective. It would just change the angles on the reflected beams.
i would have little health concerns, those things are basically small glass bubbles that stick to the fabric.
Just got some free in a bike shop near London. I can’t wait for it to go dark!!!
@Myke You mean like keeping more people alive, therefore taxing the planet more? /s
clear reflective paint has been around for years, http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-214944-Reflective-10-Ounce-Spray/dp/B000LNVC1M , although it comes out a bit “frosty”. this one in particular is interesting for its fabric compatibility.
It’s available in Sweden. I’ve just bought their light metallic paint which should be more permanent and useful for bikes, not for clothing.
http://www.albedo100us.com/ America
This is a rebranded product already available on the US market: https://albedo100us.com/shop/invisible-bright/
Hope it becomes available in the United States
Can I be skeptical? From the website: “LifePaint washes off…lasting approximately 1 week after application.” So, how long would that last for all-weather commuters? How many cans will it take to keep a jacket reflective for a year? How many bike commuters can’t be bothered to pump up their tires once a week, let alone spay their clothing/bikes/whatever with this stuff? Also, I want to see stats on how this stuff affects the deterioration of other materials, particularly the helmet’s protective foams.
I’m not saying it’s not a good idea, but I question the need. The reflective material built into the vast majority of commuting clothing and gear is ample, and doesn’t require reapplication. Also, if a cyclist is using the proper lighting as required by law this reflectiveness is a moot point.
And lastly, the best part of this whole thing is Volvo’s motto around it “The Best Way to Survive a Crash is Not to Crash”. I couldn’t agree more, but the correct way to go about “not crashing” is to be aware of your surroundings and to understand traffic patterns and laws and be able to predict driver behavior. Making yourself 100% visible does not mean you won’t get hit when you roll through a stop sign, and it doesn’t matter how bright you are in a car’s headlights when the driver isn’t even looking at the road.
In the U.S. Krylon, Rustoleum, and others have sold “clear reflective” permanent spray for a few years, and none have worked at all for me – extremely pale, if at all visible even with careful attention to application and using direct light, versus slightly off-line as would be the situation w/ headlight beams. The variety of tapes provide extremely good reflection for little weight, the only neg. is if you dislike the safety look in the daytime. Don’t expect miracles from this PR release. The fabrics used in reflective garments do work well, especially as broader areas increase overall shape visibility, but are a bit less bright than tape strips.
Mega smart,
I want some for the elementary schools, and my local bike club.
Thanks
__o
`\ <,
(*) / (*)
Robert Boyer
How and when can we get this in Canada? Please send some to Dutch Cycle in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada!!!
bring this to Canada, NOW, please!
Denmark will have a pro website launching 1st of May 2015. I will be the agent in Denmark and Greenland and already now my company has several interested stores.
check out the site after 1st og May – albedo100.eu
Regards
Flemming
Sounds like an AWESOME product! I work at a US Volvo dealership and would love to see this product be sold in our Parts department.
Hello from the east village in NYC !!! I NEED this paint !!!! when can we buy it in the states ????
I want to sent it to my friends as gifts too!!!
thanks !!!
debra solomon