BMW's head-up display helmet

BMW Motorrad's stand at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas will feature two safety innovations: a head-up display helmet and a new laser light for motorcycles.

The head-up helmet, which the company wants to start producing within the next few years, projects traffic or vehicle information directly into riders' field of view, allowing them to maintain constant observation of the traffic on the road without having to glance at the instrument panel.

All displays are freely programmable — only information that is helpful and relevant to the current situation should be displayed to the rider at any given moment — and options include tyre pressure, oil level and fuel level, travel speed and selected gear, speed limit and road sign recognition, plus warnings of impending dangers.

By means of the future V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication, it might also be possible to display information in real time, for example to give due warning of any suddenly impending hazards.

The head-up display could also include navigation advice prior to commencing a journey, and other possibilities from the technology include the use of cameras to record footage and to act as 'rear view' mirrors, and also the visualisation of other riders in a motorcycle group.

The helmet, which is also fitted with an integrated mini-computer and loudspeakers, is controlled from the handlebar using the BMW Motorrad multi-controller.

The information display technology can be integrated in existing helmets, and the operating time of the system with the two replaceable batteries is around five hours.
BMW Motorrad won't be the first to being the head-up display technology to market though, as the Skully AR-1 will go on sale in Australia this year. The helmet has DOT/ECE certification, which means it can be sold in NSW, Qld Vic, ACT and NT. Price is $1499.
The laser headlight continues BMW Motorrad's hard work in that area, with such features as adaptive headlights and a dynamic brake light.

The laser light, fitted to a K 1600 GTL in Las Vegas, is already available in the new 7 Series and i8.
Not only do laser light headlamps generate a particularly bright and pure white light, but they also achieve a high-beam range of up to 600m, which is double that of conventional headlights.

Moreover, the laser technology has a very long service life, thanks to its compact, robust and maintenance-free construction.

BMW says the technology is still too "cost sensitive" for use in motorcycles, but with economies of scale gains in the future that situation will almost certainly turnaround.