Ford has created an Emoji jacket to help cyclists stay safe on the road.
According to the most recent reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ), the number of deaths from traffic accidents in the United States has decreased in recent years. This is very positive. However, statistics show that deaths of cyclists and pedestrians have increased . The most recent NHTSA data on cyclists and pedestrians is from 2018.
During 2018, there were 51 more cyclist deaths compared to 2017. This represents an increase of 6.3%. A recent report by the European Council for Transport Safety showed that 19,450 European cyclists lost their lives on the roads between 2010 and 2018.
To help improve road safety, Ford has come up with a way to help cyclists communicate with other drivers, reducing the chances of an accident. As part of this effort, Ford has created a biking jacket that displays emojis. The jacket has an LED display on the back that connects to a wireless remote control that is attached to the handlebars.
The cyclist will be able to use the screen on their back to show drivers behind them various signals. For example, the cyclist will be able to indicate when and where they are turning (something like a turn signal) or display a hazard.
Finally, he will be able to use an emoji to show his general mood: happy, sad, or something else.
Ford collaborated with cyclists and designers from Designworks to create the Emoji Jacket. This collaboration was part of the Share the Road safety campaign . It is not known when or if this Emoji jacket will be available for sale. However, if it does come to market, it will help cyclists get their message across to other drivers in a simple, visual way.
