Cycling in the city can be a genuinely unpleasant experience at times. As well as having to breathe in exhaust fumes for the duration of your journey, our car-centric cities often leave scant room to dedicated bike lanes, meaning cyclists have to share the road with vehicles big and small, often resulting in accidents and near misses.
Thankfully, Samsung thinks it may have a solution to city cyclists’ woes: its new Smart Bike, which incorporates a bevy of technological wizardry and is being built in conjunction with one of the best bicycle designers in the world.
A product of the Samsung Maestros Academy, the South Korean electronics giant’s forthcoming city bike features a special shock-absorbent frame made by master frame maker Giovanni Pelizzoli for smoother, safer travel, but is built from the ground up with technology in mind.
Once a user mounts their smartphone (using powerful magnets for minimal fuss) on their handlebars, they have access to a range of safety features.
Along with the usual GPS and map applications, at the touch of a button riders can enable a built-in rear camera to watch the road behind them, activate laser pointers to mark out their space on the road, and even turn on sensors that detect ambient light levels to automatically switch built-in lights on or off, increasing a cyclist’s visibility on the road.
▼ A simple interface ensures cyclists focus on the road
▼ Watching your back
▼ See who’s behind you
▼ Warning: local cats may begin chasing you upon enabling the laser pointer function
There’s a certain amount of PR fluff and cheese to filter out in this video (“protects the rider with its technological soul”? Easy there, Samsung…), and some of the features are described only as future possibilities at this point in the bike’s development, but we can’t help thinking Samsung is on to something here, and we’d love to see more dedicated technology being built into safer, better designed bikes for city use.
Now if they could include a feature that electrocutes would-be thieves when they inevitably try to steal the bike from outside our office, we’d really be in business!
Tokyo’s new rentable bikes are a great start, but the city is still far from bike-friendly…
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
We ride Bridgestone’s new TB1e electric bike over 80 miles in Japan, barely wear down the battery
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Starbucks Japan releases new Discovery Series collection celebrating local regions and traditions
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa