Did you know that severe injuries to bikers have increased 24% over the past ten years? With 60% of these resulting in traumatic head injuries, helmet companies are rushing to make innovative solutions. Road.cc reports that POC is teaming up with Autoliv, an automotive safety company, to develop a bike helmet with airbag technology. In a simulation pre-study done by Autoliv, they found that fatal head collisions from vehicles are reduced from 80% to 30% while using this new prototype. The test dummy was hit with a direct linear impact by a vehicle at a speed of 12.5 miles per hour. Autoliv said the following about the pre-study:
“A cycle helmet with an integrated airbag can significantly improve protection and reduce the consequences of impacts to cyclists. The combination of both absorbing technologies [the helmet itself plus the airbag] enables a reduction of the peak linear head acceleration and significantly reduced head injury risk in impact tests.”
According to POC and Autoliv, here are the next steps to the project:
“The successful outcome of the pre-study will now lead to further testing and refinement with the objective of developing the concept further and potentially bringing a product to the market.”
They aren’t the only company working on this concept, as Hövding is also developing an airbag helmet that focuses more on bikers collars. It’s not clear when or if this will become available to the general public. It’ll be interesting to see if this ever comes to fruition and if it crosses over to skiing and snowboarding. You can learn more about the prototype here. 
Image Credits: Road.cc, Autoliv
