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Amanda Quick·
Motorcycle News
··2 Comments·1 min read

Cardo Systems, Midland and Uclear Announce New Bluetooth Intercom Standard

A Midland motorcycle comm unit. Photo courtesy of Midland.
A Midland motorcycle comm unit. Photo courtesy of Midland.

A brilliant partnership creating a new industry standard as just blossomed, creating the potential for cross-branded Bluetooth Intercom Connectivity – and despite Sena opting out of the partnership, we’re still happy to announce that the commitment from Cardo Systems, Midland and Uclear will create a more balanced experience for riders looking to connect between comm brands. 

A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of The Girl on a Bike.
A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of The Girl on a Bike.

“The new partnership will enable riders to fully enjoy seamless Bluetooth intercom connectivity across the brands and will further foster the penetration of communication solution among rider world-wide,” explains Shachar Harari, VP of Business Development on behalf of all members of the partnership. 

“Having just launched our ‘Universal Communication Solution’, the announcement of our ‘Open Bluetooth Intercom’ further cements our commitment to providing motorcyclists with the best solutions to communicate while riding.” 

A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of Visordown.
A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of Visordown.

The ‘Open Bluetooth Intercom’ agreement includes extensions that will make Cardo, Midland and Uclear units easier to pair and use in a group without worrying about low-quality audio, connection and communications between the comms themselves. 

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This is a huge step for commdevices in the motorcycle industry; universal connectivity amongst powersport communication devices is practical, efficient, and ultimately will promote a safer trip. 

A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of Jabil.
A Cardo Comm unit. Photo courtesy of Jabil.

We look forward to hearing updates on this partnership; for other related stories, be sure to check back at our webpage, drop a comment below letting us kno what you think, and as ever – stay safe on the twisties. 

*Media sourced from Jabil, The Girl on a Bike, Bobber Store, RTK and Visordown*
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Amanda Quick
Amanda Quick spends her time managing her business, digging into old bike manuals and prepping for Canada's warmer seasons. Her love for bikes has her head stuck in the more futuristic predictions of the Powersports industry, seconded only by her love for cello and obsession with effective communications. Articulate nerd with a terrible sleep schedule and a dotty love for horsepower.
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2 Comments

  1. Great!

    However, more importantly: what about safety?

    To what extent do these devices comply with the ECE 22-06 standard, as this standard dictates that “all devices fitted or to be fitted externally to a helmet must be subjected to the tests associated with this standard (including crash tests) and must meet the criteria laid down for this homologation standard”?

    I look forward to your response to the above with great pleasure and interest.

    Bart
    CASTODIAN Fdn

    1. Hello Bart,

      Excellent question. I will break down the answer into several categories, that each part of this answer can be fact checked at your leisure.

      1. The new standard agreed upon by Cardo Systems, Midland and Uclear is, currently, just that – an agreement. Any future inclination toward safety standards will undoubtedly be touted in future press releases as the comm units are debuted by each individual brand.

      2. I am not aware of ANY comm units that tout ANY SORT of safety homologation standard at present – at least not openly; do you have comparisons to make in this genre that will allow you to guesstimate the end result of this partnership? Keep in mind, the partnership will allow these units’ quality of performance to be shared across the brands, which would technically raise the quality of any future products, in my opinion).

      3. My current understanding is that a motorcycle helmet, when tested for ECE homologation, is tested ‘as a whole’ – at least for U.S. safety standards.
      That means it is POSSIBLE that a comm unit can be considered a component of the motorcycle helmet, though I am not so sure on this one.

      4. Wouldn’t increased quality of product across several brands mean additional safety to riders on their commute, regardless of ECE homologation potential?

      More research to be done, but in the meantime, I hope I have answered your questions, or at the very least alleviated your need for an answer until more information comes out regarding the comm units that this partnership will entail.

      Cheers and safe riding,
      Amanda Quick

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