TVS Bikes & Scooters to Have AI-Enabled Camera to Detect Rider Helmet

Awareness of road safety is increasingly becoming important for bike riders, especially in countries like India, where many rooms are available to educate vehicle owners and riders about traffic rules and their safety. In a recently held Road Safety Conclave by Autocar Professional, the President of new product development at TVS, Vinay Harne, spoke about road safety for two-wheelers and gave an overview of what the company is doing to ensure road safety for TVS customers.

Camera-Enabled Helmet Reminder is Under Development Phase

During the conclave, Vinay Harne revealed that the company is developing a camera-based system to detect whether riders have worn helmets. If the rider is not wearing a helmet, the technology will show a message on a digital display to remind the rider to wear the helmet. He added that the camera-based system for detecting helmets is being developed and tested on several TVS motorcycles. Vinay also hinted about the sooner launch of this system in India.

A limited number of bike manufacturers are working on such technology. Recently, BMW announced it's working on "Face ID" technology to assist riders in unlocking bikes through Face ID. If TVS bikes bring this camera-based helmet detector technology into the market, it will be the first bike maker to do so. It's anticipated that this feature may be offered in TVS bikes like Apache RR 310 and scooters like TVS iQube; both vehicles come with a TFT display.

Artificial Intelligence Based Traffic Cameras

With the availability of artificial intelligence, it's possible to develop traffic cameras capable of detecting if bike riders are wearing helmets while riding the bikes. One such AI-powered traffic camera was recently employed in Kerala. These traffic cameras can detect riders not wearing helmets and generate the challan to charge a fine. TVS' camera-enabled helmet detection system can be based on a similar mechanism.

Vinay Harne also said their company is committed to ensuring safety for other riders. The bike maker works on safety features like advanced rider assistant systems, early warning, and automated braking systems. Moreover, he mentioned that these features would be available one by one, and their company would be one of the first bike brands offering such advanced safety features in bikes.