Imagine being able to send a written message to traffic thanking them for leaving a gap, warning them of emergency braking or abusing them for cutting you off!
A simple wave or finger gesture has always been enough for me, but some may like more precise communication.
Now French company Omicron has launched a crowd-funding program on Indiegogo to produce LED signs for motorcycles and cars so riders and drivers can communicate with each other.
They’re called MotoChat and CarChat.
The devices use a Bluetooth microphone, universal voice recognition and an LED board that fits on a bike’s number plate.
Dictate message
Riders simply dictate their message through the microphone to the LED board which shows seven letters, but also scrolls so you can display a longer message.
The microphone uses a different signal to normal bluetooth intercom so it won’t interfere.
There is also a three-axis gyroscope accelerometer that will detect emergency braking and automatically translate it to the LED board as a warning to drivers behind.
However, let’s hope they spell “brake” correctly and not “break” as in the video!
SOS function
MotoChat also includes an SOS function in the event of a crash.
The accelerometer detects lean angles of more than 67 degrees and interprets that as a crash.
The GPRS tracker will note the exact location and an associated app that works with any smartphone will send an SOS message with GPS location to a prerecorded number of your choice, so long as there is signal.
The person who receives the SOS can then alert emergency services at the touch of a button.
There is no subscription required for the service as there is with some other emergency tracking devices.
The European Union now requires all new cars to have a similar SOS device called eCall and it will only be a matter of time before that extends t al new motorcycles.
BMW already has an eCall function available on some of its bikes.
BMW’s SOS buttonMotoChat price
Retail price will be €90 for MotoChat and €119 for CarChat. Supporters of their Indiegogo funding campaign will be able to order them for €60 and €80.
he only use I could see for this device is to ask road hogs to move over and let me pass. However, the driver wouldn’t see that message unless I displayed it on the front of my bike!
- What are some of the messages you would like to send? Leave your reply in the box below.