The makers of the inVIEW helmet light hope to raise more than $US1m to develop an update of their innovative product that not only indicates when brakes are applied or a rider slows down on the throttle, but also shows a rider’s intention to turn.
Third Eye Design, founded in 2009, have announced they are producing inView2 and hoping to fund it through their first public stock offering.
Common shares cost $US5.17 each with a minimum investment of $US248.16. Supporters can invest via credit card, ACH, or wire with funds held in escrow until close.
Third Eye Design president David Werner says they will launch inView2 in North America and Southeast Asia in the second quarter of 2022.
“inView2 will provide more than double the battery life and four-times the brightness,” he says.
“It will have a host of new features including battery level indication in our iOS/Android App and an emergency dialling option that can detect a crash and alert an emergency contact.
“inView2 will also offer more flexibility as the helmet unit can work in conjunction with your motorcycle or by itself as a stand-alone deceleration brake light.
“inView2 was designed by the engineer who designed some of the famous products you use in your home and on the go and the lens was developed by one of the US’s foremost lens designers. We had an amazing team.”
David says they are still working on pricing, but anticipate inView2 (motorcycle and helmet unit) will be less that the original inView while inView2 Lite (the upgradable helmet-only product) will be about half that price.
The stick-on bluetooth inVIEW light has been available for three years at $US249.95, but the current model has been reduced to $US149.95 ahead of the new model.
It features an accelerometer that activates the brake light even when just slowing down on the throttle which many riders do.
inVIEWWe can’t see why they would be illegal here as they do not replace the motorcycle’s brake lights or indicators.
However, Victorian police might take a dim view of this product since they still believe any addition to a helmet is illegal.
Some might think this is a great idea as it lifts these important lights higher where drivers are more likely to see them.
It could also be a good safety feature with its brake light that illuminates when the rider slows down on the throttle, rather than the brakes.
How inVIEW works
The inVIEW unit has bright LEDs and is powered by two AAA batteries that they claim will last for months.
Riders get a warning when batteries are low or if there is a problem with the system.
It snaps on via a 3M hook and loop mounting system that Third Eye Design claim is unobtrusive when the unit is not attached and snaps off in the event of a crash.
There is also a small transmitter that can be located close to the rear brake light and indicators.
They say it draws “almost no power and works on all motorcycles, including those with CANBus electrical systems”.