The Science Behind Bike Brake Lights: How intelligent sensors enhance safety to riders

Cycling as a means of transportation is becoming popular in many cities. Nonetheless, several consumers remain reluctant to utilize these vehicles due to safety issues. Another area of current research focus is to revolutionize brake light systems in a bid to reduce the incidents of accidents and enhance visibility of riders in traffic. The current bike brake lights use the intelligent sensors and LEDs to turn on the brighter brake lights when the bike decelerates.

Old fashioned cycle brake lights, are those which the cyclist has to switch on themselves using a lever around the handle. However, some research reveals that out of the four groups of riders, few of them avoid using the lights when braking. Intelligent brake lights do not have this human factor since they are self-activated whenever the vehicle is being braked. The lights know when the bike is slowing down through the rotational speed sensors of the wheel or through accelerometers incorporated into the light assembly. They then automatically engage bright LED brake lights to inform other motorists and pedestrians behind the bicycle.

This technology is based on decades of automotive research on reactive brake lights. Research conducted about reactive car brake lights that brightens when the driver swiftly applies the brakes revealed that it was effective in raising the awareness of the following driver and response time. The same way a similar ‘reactionary’ idea was applied to bicycles, bike brake lights are expected to enhance the safety of riders and their visibility at intersections, crosswalks and any other dangerous zones.

Future features being worked on include brightness sensors that will dim or brighten its light depending on the prevailing conditions, wide angle lights to enhance side visibility, and wireless compatibility to link the brake light with a rider’s phone or fitness tracker.

Smart, connected bike brake lights are one of the promising innovations to avoid sad stories about bicycles and cars or bicycles and pedestrians. Thus, enhancing reaction times and the riders’ visibility, this technology can contribute to the increased cycling uptake as an efficient and safe means of transport in our cities. The technology of reactive brake lights has already been proven to save lives in automobiles – it might also revolutionize bike safety in the near future.