Samsung is showing off a concept it is calling Smart Windshield that displays useful information from a rider’s cell phone on a motorcycle windshield. Examples would be GPS/navigation information as well as notification of incoming text messages and phone calls. The concept seems fairly basic, but potentially quite useful. Check it out in this video below and let us know what you think.
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In what world could this be considered a safety feature, particularly for the “young” and “new” riders targeted in the advertisement? Moving the distraction of your smartphone from your pocket, where it belongs, to your wind screen, cannot possibly be an improvement. Hello, Samsung, why not advertise the “off” button, instead? If you need or want this you shouldn’t be on a bike in the first place. In fact, you shouldn’t be driving a car. Ride the bus.
A lot of people text while walking and run into telephone poles, street signs or walk off curbs and into busy streets. I can see how people need to put the phone down and concentrate on what they are doing, even if it is only walking. God help the motorcyclist who needs to be connected at all times.
Might as well stream some Netflix to your windscreen while youre at it ..
Yeah THAT won’t be a distraction at all , nooo
Bring it on and let Darwin sort’em out!😃
Some of my most memorable rides, started off when I got lost.
What I want to know is, why the need to make this a rear projection unit? I haven’t had a rear projection TV for 15 years. Why not just have an LED screen? Cheaper and visible night and day. Engineering for engineering’s sake?
I’d bet it is to make the electronics more weather and crash proof. Rather than a big screen out in the open, it is a tiny image being projected from a nice little module tucked away from harm.
much cheaper to make it that way.
It could also be, like with automotive HUDs, to push the apparent distance of the display further out, so that the it’s easier for the eye to switch focus between it and the road. Makes it appear to be at infinite (or close to it) distance for focusing, same as the road ahead.
I’ve resisted electronics on motorcycles, for the most part. But I seem to be in the minority except on this particular page. That said, I do enjoy my Ipod while I’m riding and have used a Cardo when I ride with like minded partners. I can see a lot of people wanting to have a heads up for their GPS, tire pressure monitors, traction control/ABS/suspension settings. I don’t see this working in daylight, and it will be expensive and the early models, fragile. I’ll pass.
I live in Manhattan. I ride upstate in the Catskills. Haven’t seen the bike since January. Do I want to be connected next time I ride? – NO. Do I want to get lost? – YES.
GPS – yes. Texts – NO. But I guess it will be self correcting as you’re more likely to kill yourself and you’re less likely to kill somebody else than you are in a car.
as i suspected, no daylight use shown in the video. what’s the visibility of this on a summer’s day…? though I suspect some of those trendy “whippersnappers” would still buy it even if limited to night use.
I’m a 64-year-old whippersnapper and I’m fascinated by it. I’m able to enjoy my motorcycle as often as I do, in part, because I can stay connected. My Cardo Scala (and an understanding wife) allows me an annual vacation of anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000 miles without losing touch with my office. I’m much less intimidated by a heads-up display than I am by maps I have to look down at my tank bag to read. Give me a version I can read in the daylight and I’m all over it.
I’m a tech junkie so this is of some interest and I’m sure it can be improved upon. But look around you, people want to stay connected, I didn’t say distracted, but connected. Seeing that someone of importance just texted you is no more distracting than checking your gauges or turning your head around to get a second look at something just passed. As long as the ability to read text isn’t there what was shown is nothing more than a quick glance.
Today’s Smartphones are quite powerful, I find it fascinating to see their integration. Which brings up an obvious, keyless ignition.
Just don’t lose your phone or your whole life goes upside down! 🙂
“But look around you, people want to stay connected, I didn’t say distracted, but connected. Seeing that someone of importance just texted you is no more distracting than checking your gauges or turning your head around to get a second look at something just passed.”
I’m a firm believer that “connected” and “distracted” are really the same thing to cell phone users today. Being connected suggests availability in matters of informational importance. 99% of what cell phones are used for today are distractions. Social media, texting and games. These are not important tasks that matter enough that they can’t wait for a while. Most people only “think” it’s important because they’ve forgotten what important really means.
Looking at the gauges and head checks doesn’t compare to seeing a text pop up on a HUD as looking at the gauges and head checks are an integral part of the task of driving/riding. These are functions that need to be done anyway. Seeing information on a screen is an extra task that has nothing to do with the task of riding. If you need to know the exact moment when your wife’s water broke, you should probably be at home with her anyway.
I am sure you can’t read a text while moving. The rider just gets a notification that a message/call is coming through and from whom.
As Jeremy pointed out, as long as no text is available to read I fail to see the added concern. I’m not saying it’s for everyone but this kind of thing brings today’s world into motorcycling. It may be just the thing that helps prospective riders make the choice to ride motorcycles or not? I’m not advocating added distractions, Lordy no, I’ve ridden for many, many years and I know what it’s like. But for example, say I’m off on a long journey and my wife calls or texts me and that’s something she wouldn’t tend to do, I could then pull off, check what’s going on right then rather than an hour or two down the road. I could see it helping quite a bit in an emergency.
Most of the posters on this board are waiting for the Smart Milk Crate.
Only the KLR riders
I ride a motorcycle for the same reasons I go camping.
So I can “disconnect”.
Maybe, if it was a “brains up” display it would be safe. I’m sure this device is marginally safer than fiddling around with hand held electronic devices while riding but that doesn’t make it safe. Just another bad idea IMO.
Ok, maybe the safety Nazis could take a step back and tell me how this is more distracting than the 4 guages and two displays I already have. Sadly my old tech GPS is more heads up than this and worlds safer than the Map Quest directions I used to tape to the windshield or those tank bag map holders that used to be all the rage. For me being lost, looking for somewhere to turn around, or god forbid having to ask for directions is way more distracting and dangerous than occasionally glancing at a screen. When they said smart screen I was thinking fighter plane style heads up display that would be cool and probably safe too.As far as the phone call aspect of this I could have that technology now if it were important to me but the calls I miss on my 30 min commute can wait till I get there.
I agree. My car does all this stuff, and it doesn’t distract me from what I am doing. If the road needs my attention, that is where I direct it. I mount my phone to my bike sometimes, mostly on long trips to unfamiliar areas to have the GPS map up. If a call or text comes in, it flashes across the screen. It doesn’t take any longer for me to see who sent the message than it does to glance at the speedometer or fuel gauge. If it is something I think might be urgent, I’ll pull over and read the text or return the call.
The same type of displays will likely also be same tools that displays safety information such as tire pressures, blind spot monitoring, engine temp, etc., all easily legible from with a quick glance. All and all, I think it is worlds safer than many of the electronic farkle collections I see mounted to the bars of many touring and adv bikes.
Most people think they are good at multitasking, while scientic studies show that when they divide their attention to multiple things, all functions suffer. People in cars think they are perfectly capable of texting/ reading/ putting on makeup/ arguing with the kids in the back seat…when we all know that dividing attention between driving and any of those tasks is very dangerous
Manufacturers of motorcycles have gone to great length to make sure there are no reflections in the windshields at night because glare in the windshield makes it difficult to see thru. A bright light glowing back at the rider is distracting, hence shielded or hooded instruments ( even in your car)
Mickey, I don’t disagree with any of that. I’m just saying that it really isn’t any different that having a GPS or speedometer or fuel gauge on the bike except that to me it seems that the info requires less concentration to consume with the “smart” windshield. I can take my hands off the grip to wipe my visor, turn on the grip heaters, adjust a mirror, hit the “decline call” button on my Scala, etc. I can manage to press the button right in front of me to decline a call to keep it from ringing in my ear.
The display is not in the rider’s field of view, and I am sure Samsung has gone to great lengths to make sure that the display is not reflected into that portion of the shield. This thing is not going to let people text while riding: all they can do is decline or answer a call or hit a button to send an automated “Sorry, can’t respond I’m riding” text message. When the vehicle is moving, I’m sure functionality is going to be extremely limited.
I’ve seen a lot of people riding and texting here on their phones. If you’ve traveled overseas lately, then you’ve seen a whole lot of people texting while riding. Comparatively, this windshield is much safer. Besides, now that all motorcycles in the future are going to be automatics, we’ll have all of extra that clutch-attention allocation that needs to be used for something!
Oh yea,, forgot about the automatic thing. All OK now. I did notice it’s displayed on a scooter, no maybe the people that want this technology will be limited to automatic scooters lol.
I do know that already with certain headsets you can get voice turn by turn directions from your GPS, recieve phone calls, and listen to music all without taking your hands from the bars or your eyes from the road, so I don’t see how a visual display is not an added distraction over that.
All the things you mention that you do, you can do without looking. Just by feel and muscle memory. Everything else being discussed requires not just looking but locating on the screen then focusing on it so it can be deciphered.
As for the field of view… ever seen “The Jerk?” Much like the handle on the eyeglass frame pulling the eyes towards it, so do things that stand out such as a glowing idiot light and backlit display or a display that glows. Things like that will draw your eyes to it involuntarily so that you have to work harder to ignore it, in turn fatiguing the brain. I know all about fatigue from eyestrain being that I have switching eyes and zero depth perception and cannot put the images from both eyes together. My brain has to work harder and it’s exhausting.
And just because you see lots of people texting and riding wherever you are, doesn’t make it an acceptably good idea.
Heck Jeremy I don’t even know why I’m discussing this other than the fact I love talking all things motorcycle. This certainly isn’t something I would use. I mean, I still rely on paper maps from AAA. Don’t mind pulling over to unfold and check the map..or ask directions. Meet nice people that way, plus I get to pee and take a drink of water when I’m lost. Don’t listen to music when I ride, keep my phone in my pocket until I stop. One of the advantages of being old, not in a hurry and don’t need to be led by the nose by some gizmo. Like someone said I’m still waiting on the smart milk crate ( btw I do remember when the milkman dropped the wire baskets off on the porch with our milk orders lol)
Gents, I know that it certainly could be a distraction, but it doesn’t have to be. Like I said I’ll mount my phone up sometimes for GPS or even just as a compass. Audible turn by turn is usually just fine, but I’ve been a lot of places where audible doesn’t quite describe what needs to be done and seeing the map just makes it much easier. I’ll have messages come through, lights flickering as the map changes, etc. If my attention is on the road, I pay no mind whatsoever to what my phone is doing. This windshield would be no different. In fact, a large bug hitting my visor gives me more mental pause than anything my phone flashes at me.
The greatest distraction I contend with personally is my mind wandering. A more informative dashboard, which is what this thing is, won’t tax my faculties at all. Lol, Maybe being a “pup” gives me an advantage somehow making it easier to selectively ignore certain things (marriage no doubt has also helped me hone that skill to a remarkable level.) Your experience may vary.
“Heck Jeremy I don’t even know why I’m discussing this other than the fact I love talking all things motorcycle.”
Same here, Mickey. That’s why I bother posting to begin with. I clearly annoy some people and apparently come off as a know-it-all according to one guy, but I am not representing my opinions as gospel. Nor do I consider myself to have some vast knowledge of all things motorcycles. I just love ’em and like to discuss them with others that share the same sickness (there aren’t that many of us even among other motorcyclists), so I put a comment or reply out there often. Heck I could talk about motorcycles all day everyday so long as the other party is into it the way I am!
You’re riding your motorcycle. What the hell else do you need?
Navigation?
I ride in San Francisco on occasion, and a GPS is a lifesaver there. Having a weatherproof, easy to see GPS would be awesome.
You only need a 1 second distraction to crash…
That’s why I never look at my gauges or mirrors. Not even for a second.
Never looking at your mirrors sounds a little dangerous to me. Good luck with that.
I think he was being sarcastic
R N P. Or R I P. Road no phone you all know the latter. Samsung retire your development of this deadly distraction. Eyes on the road and scanning for situations. Your contacts can wait till you get off the road safely. Where are we heading ? I’m sure the local funeral homes are excited to see this developed.
I don’t recall asking for this. Did anyone here ask for this? Hello? Bueller? McFly?
Nobody was asking to carry their entire music library in their pockets when the iPod came out but here we are..
My entire music library isn’t in my pocket, it’s at home in the radio
People will find a way to stay connected, and this COULD be a better way to integrate some things… Some use GPS, and blue tooth for cell, Temperature freeze warnings, and maybe a radar detector. Instead of having separate mounts for all these farkles, a Smart Windshield could be very beneficial.
The video showed a bit too much “wiz-bang, slick motion on icons and screen sizes changing”… I think that is too distracting. Integrate the cycles gauges on this screen. Each option that you CHOOSE to include (like GPS, Cell phone, etc) should stay in it’s own spot, and simple icons to display incoming or status. Then it is just a nice dashboard.
Not for me, since I am just (maybe) starting to think about getting a blue tooth for the helmet. Mainly for music and intercom. Limited use for me, but for someone using GPS and others, if they can integrate with the cycle dash and keep it “simple” it could be more of a tool than a problem. But more than likely, it will be marketed, flashy, and wind up being a problem… I’ll pass.
The windshield may be “smart”. The idea,– not so much.
I’m a USA defense contractor living in Korea. Korean scooters are used as miniature trucks, meaning they carry huge loads all over the city. These guys need GPS and comms in order to do their jobs. You’d be amazed at the creative methods they use to manage their electronic devices. This technology would certainly be an improvement over what they do now. Despite paying zero attention to traffic laws, while carrying 100 pounds of pizza AND running their GPS and smartphones, I’ve never seen a scooter down. And these guys ride 24/7/365.
Development project team codename: “Darwin”
They call it a “Smart Windshield”, it’s obviously a very tragic and stupid idea. They say it’s so that you can “keep both hands on the handlebar” as opposed to using one hand to use your smart phone while riding, really? lol They call it a “Safety Device”, when it is obviously the exact opposite, it is a “Danger Device”. I’m sure looking down at the notifications popping up all over the place won’t be a detraction at all either. yeah, this is a great idea for “new riders”. *facepalm*
It’s ok, they said “young motorbike riders.” They can handle these things better than us old farts.
re: “They call it a “Safety Device”, when it is obviously the exact opposite, it is a “Danger Device”.
LOL, moderator please 2 points up on the board for Sentinel. thank you.
All the people who say it’s a bad idea are right. All the people who say it’s a good idea are wrong.
Totally UN-necessary! Way to go Samsung….let’s distract the motorcyclists like you do the cage drivers!
Like this isn’t many accidents waiting to happen, I ride to get away from all this crap, cellphone goes in saddle bags and still like my maps. Surprised anyone survived the old days without being connected.
Hey, bound to be cheaper than a head up display in your helmet…and potentially transferable to other bikes. Count me interested…. even if just for a head up speedometer.
Why was the video only shot at night?
I can see the gps being useful or maybe the ability to hack it and play adult movies…
For GPS it’s probably less distracting than the typical mounted GPS some people use.
Just kidding….mostly. Probably very useful, just needs to be used with caution, like any other tool.
I hope it displays your blood type.
Lol. I suspect it would actually be a pretty useful tool to have. Just has to be used responsibly.
Like we need another reason to be distracted. That thing glowing and flashing in your windshield ( especially at night) would be horrible.
I keep my phone in a chest pocket where I can feel it vibrate to let me know a text or phone is coming in. Then I pull over in a safe spot when I can check it out, and read or answer if necessary. For petes sake who needs to be that connected?
+1
Mickey, this is for all of the people who are distracted and can’t focus. I think his name is Petes Sake.
I can hear it now..
Car driver: I didnt see the motorcycle officer, I was texting
Motorcycle rider: I didn’t see the car officer, my windshield said I had a text coming in
Interesting idea, yet can’t imagine this being affordable…at least for awhile