Jaguar Land Rover seems to be winning the technology race amongst car manufacturers this year. Hot on the heels of announcements such as the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen, the esteemed marque has released details of its new in-car gadget that will help protect every motorist’s friend – the cyclist.
Although we all know that most cyclists are sensible and obey the rules of the road, there are always one or two who like to take their life into their own hands. A favourite move of the dangerous cyclist is to zoom past the side of your stationery car, with no regard to the possibility that you might be about to move off again or even open your car door.
To guard against the latter happening, with its associated dire consequences to the cyclist’s bones and your insurance policy, Jaguar Land Rover have built in a clever sensor that enables the car to detect when a cyclist is approaching from behind. If one is, and you place your hand on the handle as if to open your door, the handle will vibrate and light up, warning you that a bike is approaching. It’s a very clever idea which proves that technological progress doesn’t always have to be glitzy – this development is subtle, unobtrusive and may well save lives.