n+ has unveiled a new range of Volkswagen-licensed electric bicycles. Inspired by decades of automotive innovation, the Volkswagen e-bikes feature intelligent safety systems designed to make city streets safer for all road users.

While many e-bikes focus on motor power and battery capacity, n+ approaches the challenge with its officially licensed Volkswagen e-bikes from a different perspective: What if an e-bike was engineered with the same safety-first philosophy as a modern passenger vehicle? The result is an n+-developed ecosystem of automotive-inspired technologies intended to improve rider awareness to other motorists, visibility and confidence in everyday riding.

As the number of e-bikes on city streets increases, so does the number of accidents. The company states that e-bikes should have the same preventative safety technology as passenger vehicles so that bikes can anticipate vehicles and vehicles can anticipate cyclists’ road movements.

Smart View

At the heart of the new Volkswagen e-bike is Smart View, an intelligent, radar-activated rearview camera system designed to eliminate one of cycling’s greatest compromises: having to take your eyes off the road ahead and look behind you.

Mounted into the handlebars like a modern car cockpit, the integrated high-definition camera provides a live rearward view while riding, allowing cyclists to remain aware of approaching traffic without turning their heads. Working in tandem with the rearview camera technology, Smart View also features radar-activated blind spot alerts, signaling to riders about vehicles approaching, significantly enhancing situational awareness on busy city streets.

Smart Lights

Cycling accidents are often caused by a motor vehicle not anticipating a rider’s movement through traffic. The Volkswagen e-bikes introduce the same behavioral braking and turn indication lighting that motor vehicles have used for nearly 100 years.

One of the most distinctive design elements of the new Volkswagen e-bike is the full-length illuminated LED strip integrated into the top tube. Inspired by Volkswagen’s signature automotive lighting design language, the strip functions as a high-visibility daytime running light, increasing the bicycle’s visibility from multiple angles throughout the day.

More than a styling statement, the illuminated LED shows red when braking and amber when turning to signal the cyclists’ intentions to other road users. Whether navigating busy city streets or riding in low-light conditions, the Volkswagen-licensed e-bike Smart Lights represent a significant advancement in micromobility safety.

Smart Helmet

The Volkswagen-licensed Smart Helmet developed by n+ extends the e-bike’s safety ecosystem beyond the bicycle itself. Bluetooth-synced with the e-bike, the helmet incorporates high-visibility LED lighting and works with the Smart Lights, providing rearward signaling for braking and turn indication to other motorists.

The smart technology extends beyond lighting, with a built-in accelerometer that can detect a crash and send a text message to loved ones in the event of an emergency.

Smart Glasses

The Volkswagen-licensed Smart Glasses take the connected safety systems further. Working with Smart View, the Smart Glasses allow riders to access key riding information without unnecessary distractions, keeping their focus on the road while remaining informed.

Inspired by a modern motor vehicle heads-up display (HUD), navigation prompts, rearview blind spot alerts and intelligent ride information are presented within the rider’s natural field of vision. An intentional eye movement to the top right activates and deactivates the head-up display. The Smart Glasses were developed by the same engineers who invented the fighter-pilot HUDs, presenting telemetry to the pilot onto the helmet lens where milliseconds matter.

The Smart Glasses are not limited to the e-bike. They can be used for anything from action sports to a spirited motorcycle ride or drive.

Volkswagen Design Heritage, Product Scope

The Volkswagen-licensed e-bike range developed by n+ draws inspiration from Volkswagen’s longstanding automotive design heritage and user-focused mobility philosophy. Peter Jost, CEO Volkswagen Accessories, Lifestyle and Licensing Business said, “Technologies like these are most commonly known from the automotive world. Seeing them make their way onto an e-bike demonstrates how technologies can evolve and be adapted in meaningful ways”.

The Volkswagen-licensed e-bikes deliver a level of sophistication that motorists have come to expect from their passenger vehicles, including:

Intelligent rearview camera technology

Radar-assisted traffic awareness

Automotive behavioral lighting

Head-up displays

Connected wearable technology

As cities become more congested and more motorists transition to alternative forms of transport, rider safety has become increasingly important. By integrating intelligent vision systems, connected wearables and visibility technologies into a single ecosystem, n+ aims to bring automotive-inspired thinking into the micromobility sector.

The future of intelligent electric mobility has arrived, and it rides on two wheels. The new Volkswagen e-bike range is available to order through selected partners and online.