Announced at the beginning of July by BMW Motorrad, its innovative smart motorcycle glasses will enable the use of head-up display technology to provide useful data in real time to trace your path. ConnectedRide Smartglasses will initially be available in Canada by the end of the year.
Riding your motorbike while having the necessary information to plot your route easily and safely?
That’s the promise of the brand new ConnectedRide Smartglasses, launched in early July by BMW Motorrad, namely motorcycle goggles with head-up display technology.
As it celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, the motorcycle subsidiary of the famous German dealer is constantly moving forward. It proves this with its latest innovation, which offers even greater practicality than the augmented reality helmets already offered by competitors such as Forcite.
Launch in Canada
However, if you are not Canadian, you will have to wait to test out these new smart glasses with their sleek, sporty look: the ConnectedRide Smartglasses will first be available in 2023, on a date that has yet to be specified, in this North American country. And for a price of 750 dollars (690 euros).
“What was still considered science fiction a few years ago is now becoming reality” with the innovative BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses motorcycle goggles, which ”use the head-up display technology already known in the automotive sector and project all relevant data, such as navigation, speed or gear ratio, directly into the rider’s field of vision in real time, thus enabling particularly anticipatory and therefore safer riding of the motorcycle,” explains BMW Motorrad in a press release.
Smartphone connection
The BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses can be easily connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth and an application. The projection can then be positioned and the settings selected before or during riding, via the multi-controller located on the motorcycle handlebars.
Speed, speed limit, gear and navigation ratio, and finally reduced arrow direction or detailed navigation (with street names, intersections and precise directions, etc.) will be displayed.
An automatic light sensor (which prevents glare), an optical module for secure data transfer and a secure data display at the top left of the right lens are integrated.
Highly adaptable
One of the strengths of these smart glasses is their ability to adapt to users and the weather (a must in Canada, known for its extreme temperatures!) : design of the smart glasses and their screen adaptable to many helmets and face shapes; two sizes (medium or large for a pupillary distance of 53 to 67 mm or 59 to 73 mm) available with four nose pads; supply of two sets of UVA/UVB certified lenses with the frame (the first 85% transparent, usable for helmets with integrated sun visor and the second tinted to transform smart glasses into sunglasses)…
All with a range of operating temperatures that covers a wide range, from -10° to 50° C!
Motorcyclists wearing spectacles can have their lenses corrected and adjusted to the required visual acuity (up to a maximum of 4 dioptres) by an optician using an RX adapter. Contact lens wearers, on the other hand, can use these smart glasses directly without any additional manipulation.
Optimal comfort
Finally, the BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses kit includes a case and a USB charging cable, which allows the glasses to be powered via the interface located on the temple.
Thanks to all these details, the biker will be able to wear his connected glasses in a very comfortable way, even during long day trips. Their lithium-ion battery allows up to ten hours of battery life.
But it will also be possible to disconnect at any time and turn off the screen using the button on the left temple or via the BMW Motorrad Connected app.
All that remains is to get on the road and follow the instructions effortlessly… to enjoy the ride!
Read also > BMW unveils new electric models in 2023
Featured photo: © BMW Motorrad
