Spoke, the developer of a mobility platform to provide safety, connectivity and rich rider experiences, has announced plans to bring connected technology to vulnerable road users (VRUs), including cyclists and scooter riders, using cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) solutions from Qualcomm Technologies.
The Spoke hardware and software suite, which features the C-V2X solutions, is said to be designed as the industry’s first reliable, robust connected system to offer secure, direct communication for contextual awareness and alerts between drivers and riders, enhancing safety for VRUs.
Reimagining the form factor, which has been engineered previously for automotive, Spoke says its hardware solution is designed to enable vehicles to identify VRUs using the same C-V2X technology used in vehicles. It is intended to provide direct communication between road users, vehicles and roadside infrastructure without the need for a cellular network, delivering the level of dependable real-time information critical for safety applications. This capability provides critical augmentation to other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar and Lidar.
“This is game-changing connectivity for both safety and for the mobility experience overall,” said Jarrett Wendt, Spoke CEO. “For the first time, Spoke will provide dedicated hardware and software, what we refer to as vulnerable road user-to-everything (VRU2X), to unlock V2X communication to the most vulnerable users. VRU2X unlocks location accuracy through direct digital communication that connects all users anonymously to each other and to the infrastructure.”
Spoke says it is working with a number of stakeholders, including Qualcomm Technologies and vehicle, bicycle, scooter and motorcycle OEMs, for maximum scale, adoption and safety impact. Spoke’s portfolio, which will also include modem-based communications, will be launching with their OEM bicycle, motorcycle and scooter partners in 2022.
“Spoke was born from a passion to reduce rider vulnerability, prevent crashes and save lives using an innovative adaption of technology that is available today. There is tremendous opportunity to deliver a safer, richer, more dynamic trip experience,” added Wendt.
“We are confident that through our work with various stakeholders, including Qualcomm Technologies, we will be able to reach our goal of including the most vulnerable road users in the intelligent transportation ecosystem equation. We expect Qualcomm Technologies’ industry-leading C-V2X technologies to elevate Spoke’s safety and mobility portfolio, helping us all arrive home safely.”