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Mark Hinchliffe·
Gear/accessoriesHelmets
··3 Comments·1 min read

Honda facial-recognition helmet acts as key fob

honda helmet key fob radar smartest
Honda's helmet key fob patent drawing

Honda has filed a patent application for a facial-recognition helmet that would act as a key fob to unlock your motorcycle.

It features a camera on the inside that identifies your face and then activates the motorcycle.

Don’t expect that this will happen any time soon. It’s sort of an answer to a question no one has asked.

And no, it’s not still April 1!

This patent filing simply shows that Honda is looking to the future and tying down patents for all sorts of ideas.

It follows recent Honda inventions and patent applications for a leaning trike, a hydrogen-powered bike, a cooling/heating seat, a self-balancing motorcycle and an air-conditioning unit for a motorcycle.

Honda's self-balancing motorcycle - short season damon last
Honda’s self-balancing motorcycle

Remote key fob

Remote key fobs are almost universal in cars, but only a few luxury motorcycle brands offer them.

Harley-Davidson CVO Pro Street Breakout please reduce
Most Harleys have remote key fobs

They can be handy for riders.

How many times have you put your gloves on and then had to take them off to dig your keys out of your pants pocket?

It’s hardly an inconvenience, but anything that seems to add convenience is an extra selling point for a vehicle.

However, the problem with a helmet that acts as a key fob is that after about five years you should replace your helmet and we expect this lid would be quite expensive.

The other drawback is that it would add weight to the helmet.

Upcoming smart helmets already have a lot of included technology such as head-up display, 360-degree cameras, bluetooth units and more.

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Mark Hinchliffe
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3 Comments

  1. There are significant security issues in cars with these proximity based remote key systems which are hard to overcome. There has been reasonbly priced technology available to defeat these systems where the fob is not too far away, such as the fob being in an owner’s home and the vehicle parked on the street or in the garage.
    Giving the fob an on/off switch in the form of facial recognition is an interesting way around the one of the technical loopholes.

    When the proposed fancy Honda bike is taken to a dealer for service, how should the dealer run the bike without the owner’s fancy-tech helmet? There would need to be some sort of service or valet mode which criminals could exploit.

    In the age old tug-of-war between security and convenience, security does not always win.

  2. Hmmm.
    These things are generally sold to us as being for convenience aren’t they. But what a hassle and expense when something goes wrong!
    Don’t get me wrong, I have a bike and car that both use remote key fobs. They’re handy but not such a huge advantage that you can’t live without it.

    C’mon, it’s about selling us more stuff (like you said Mark).
    Bx

  3. One reads that it is advisable to ditch your helmet if it has had a heavy knock, certainly change it if it’s been accidented. So what about the electronics ?

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