[Zigurd]

The NTSB wants to make forward collision avoidance systems in cars standard. I wonder if it would be possible to spoof radar and/or IR return signals so as to trip the autonomous braking in a car that gets too close to a bike?

[ars]

Try thinking more than one step at a time.

What will be the very next thing that happens if you actually succeed in doing this?

[Zikes]

It would be made illegal immediately due to the potential for abuse.

[beedogs]

Similar to how the emergency red-light-to-green traffic signal preemption devices were summarily banned in a lot of places after people figured out the very simple mechanism they use.

http://www.10news.com/news/driver-cited-for-using-traffic-li...

[duaneb]

Hiding, as always, the original problem (cars not detecting bikes) would be unaddressed while a fake problem (people causing accidents) gets people's attentions via the msm.

Don't do this.

[Zigurd]

Cars would stop hitting bikes?

[ars]

No, cars would disable this device because it is causing false positives.

And now a useful safety feature is no longer available.

[melling]

Perhaps something as simple as having a little video camera on bikes would discourage drivers from getting too close. If lots of cyclists had them drivers might start to move over a little more. Just knowing that you might be recorded could be enough incentive to a avoid cyclists.

[derekp7]

I thought about having a small flag on a really sharp antenna-style post sticking on the left side of the bike. About a foot or two, laying parallel to the ground should do. That would encourage drivers to give a bit more room, as they are probably more afraid of getting their car scratched up then they are of hitting someone.

[joonix]

That still does nothing about the distracted driver. They aren't going to see the flag if they're looking down at their phone laughing and writing a text.

[Zigurd]

I think there is a range of tools that would making biking safer. I saw a lighting system that outlined a "box" around the cyclist. Some kind of automatic horn/led-flasher that would activate if a car got too close might be of some value.

[mgkimsal]

I half suspect that might be construed as some sort of terrorist activity/behaviour.

[segmondy]

Perhaps cities should build bike lanes.

[cjrp]

Mercedes have done a lot of work around this (more for pedestrians than cyclists I believe) for their S-Class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m9qI70L2yQ

[davidcuddeback]

I remember seeing on Top Gear a review of a car with a collision detection system that could detect pedestrians. (I think it was a Volvo.) I wouldn't be surprised if it also detects bicycles without active cooperation from the cyclist.

[unwind]

The company Autoliv has a bunch of such products, they're used by major car manufacturers.

See for instance http://www.autoliv.com/ProductsAndInnovations/ActiveSafetySy... which describes their "vision systems", the features of which include pedestrian-detection.

It's possible that Volvo has its own in-house tech for this, but Autoliv are huge.

[subsystem]

http://www.mobileye.com/markets/oem/oem-launches/volvo/volvo...

[unwind]

Ah, of course I should have mentioned that Autoliv are not by any means alone in the market. :) Thanks.