Mike O'Connor
Volkswagen has entered the growing premium e-bike market with a new range of electrically assisted bikes featuring automotive-inspired safety technology, including a rear-view camera, integrated radar, connected lighting and a smart helmet.
The German automotive giant says the new range has been designed as a complete “ecosystem”, borrowing many of the intelligent safety concepts found in modern cars.
At the heart of the system is a Smart View cockpit, which combines a rear-facing camera with a display mounted on the handlebars, allowing riders to monitor traffic behind them without taking their eyes off the road.
The bikes also include a radar system that alerts riders to approaching vehicles, similar to Garmin’s popular Varia radar.
Connected safety
The bikes feature a minimalist aluminium frame with fully integrated electronics and battery, giving them a sleek appearance reminiscent of brands such as VanMoof.
A standout feature is Volkswagen’s Smart Lights system. An LED light strip built into the top tube changes colour depending on the rider’s actions, glowing red under braking and flashing amber when indicating a turn.
Volkswagen has also introduced a connected Smart Helmet, which pairs with the bike via Bluetooth.
The helmet incorporates high-visibility LED lighting that synchronises with the bike’s lighting system, while also offering crash detection and an emergency alert function.
Completing the package are Smart Glasses, which project ride information, navigation prompts and blind-spot warnings directly into the rider’s field of vision using heads-up display technology originally developed for aviation applications.
While many of these features have appeared individually on other bikes and accessories, Volkswagen has integrated them into a single connected platform designed to improve rider awareness and visibility.
Whether this technology significantly improves safety in real-world traffic remains to be seen, but it reflects a broader trend towards using automotive technology to encourage more people to choose e-bikes for everyday transport.
It’s worth noting that despite carrying the Volkswagen badge, the bikes are not manufactured by the carmaker itself.
Instead, they are produced under licence by N+, the company behind the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One-branded e-bike range.
The timing of the launch is notable, however. It comes as Volkswagen continues a major global restructuring program that is expected to result in significant job cuts across its automotive business.
Pricing
The Volkswagen e-bike range is available in Europe, with the Sport model priced from £3,999 ($7,700 AUD) and the Crossover model from £4,349 ($8,410 AUD).
Accessories include the Smart Helmet and Smart Glasses, each retailing for £499 ($1000 AUD).
There is no word yet on Australian availability, but we’ll keep an eye down at the local Volkswagen dealership for more.
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
