How often do you ponder upon the type of mirrors your motorcycle have? For me, I cuss them every time I ride my bike as they show me my riding jacket more than the large trailer merging into my lane. And this annoys me a lot. And I am pretty sure most of you have had experienced such an issue with some motorcycle at least once in your lifetime. The solution to this problem lies in the aftermarket stores. You can get a better mirror as per your liking. However, things could be very different in the future. Energica and Samsung have joined hands to revolutionize motorcycle mirrors.
Energica is an Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer which is already a popular company in the industry. And Samsung is one of the leading smartphone companies in the world. Together these two companies are trying to change or rather replace the conventional motorcycle mirrors with a pair of screens or intelligent mirrors with their new project called Smart Ride. Yes, screens; welcome to the digital world.
This new idea is currently being tested on a concept bike called Energica Bolid-E which is based on the Eva EsseEsse9. So what is it all about? Unlike traditional mirrors, the Bolid-E has got two Samsung Galaxy A8 smartphones fitted on either side of the instrument console. One of the two smartphones is connected to a camera located at the rear of the motorcycle. This will display a live feed to the screen. The other smartphone or screen is capable to record a ride video. It can capture footage from both the front and the rear camera. Pretty interesting, isn’t it?
Speaking about the Smart Ride project, Francesco Cordani, Head of Marcom at Samsung Electronics Italia, said, “At Samsung, we are aware that innovation can play a key role because it enables revolutionary projects with direct impact on everyday life. This is exactly the reason why we are committed to continue exploring new sectors, where ideas can be transformed into real projects thanks to technology. With the objective of developing a solution of great importance and quality, we wanted to work with a valued brand in the world of two wheels like Energica which, thanks to its experience and innovative approach, represents a partner of excellence to start out on this journey with the creation of the Smart Ride project.”
Apart from these future mirrors, the Energica Bolid-E also features smartwatch connectivity which gives the rider many options like starting the bike, blowing the horn, etc. Energica has also incorporated a remote monitoring system in the bike. This feature allows you to track the location of the bike on a map even when it is being ridden by others. It could be a very useful feature to protect bike theft.
“We are proud to be at the side of a global leader like Samsung in the Smart Ride project,” emphasizes Livia Cevolini, CEO at Energica Motor Company S.p.A. “Our corporate idea is firmly rooted in the well-known Italian Motor Valley: engines and innovation have always been in our DNA. Over the past few years, we have interpreted the market’s need by anticipating products and solutions that are unique in the world. We have gone beyond the status quo offered by current technology, creating a new know-how. By creating innovation. I hope that the Energica and Samsung visions connected in this new Smart Ride project can be an inspiration for electric mobility in Italy and beyond its borders.”
The whole concept is pretty amusing and would eliminate the use of conventional mirrors. In the past not much has been developed when it comes to motorcycle mirrors. They are more or less the same. Companies have made them more stylish and aerodynamic, but all of them uses a mirror to serve their purpose. Energica and Samsung are trying to utilize the advanced technology available to revolutionize motorcycle mirrors. The whole project is still in the testing phase and there is no word from either of the companies as to when we can see it in actual production bikes. I really like the concept and would definitely like to try them out. Would you?
