We don’t want to paint a black landscape for bicyclists at night, but drivers have a very hard time seeing bikes at night. Volvo is looking out for bike riders and more with clear reflective spray paint called Volvo LifePaint that makes surfaces sprayed with it visible to drivers.
Volvo states that the best way to survive a car crash is not to crash. The other ways Volvo protects drivers is from some of the most advanced safety features available on any car including auto-braking and City Safety. Volvo’s Intellisafe detects pedestrians and cyclists and is enhanced to work in darkness on the Volvo XC90. With Intellisafe, if a cyclist or pedestrian is detected in front of the car, the driver will be warned with a light on the windshield and the car will brake if needed.
The paint can be sprayed on the entire bike or clothing including shoes, helmets, paints or jackets. The paint glows brightly in the glare of headlights. LifePaint will wash off and doesn’t affect the color of the bike or article is applied to. The reflectiveness lasts about a week.
We and our dogs are pleased the Volvo notes that LifePaint can be sprayed on children’s backpacks, dog leashes, carts and other sorts of ways.
LifePaint will be trialed in six London and Kent cycle shops, where 2000 cans are being given away for free. If LifePaint becomes popular, the project will expand internationally.
The LifePaint concept was developed by Grey London, in collaboration with Swedish startup Albedo100 to illustrate how safe the Volvo XC90 is. At the LA Auto Show Volvo showed its XC90 with virtual reality Google Carboard viewers.
Volvo also gives 2015 models with Sensus Connect a 4-year subscription to Sirius Traffic and weather information.
Giving LifePaint, to those vulnerable in the dark is designed to reflect Volvo’s safety feature.
We we looked in the news today, many major websites covered the story. It would be nice if other automakers also offered reflective gifts to bicycle riders who are often in the blind spots of many vehicles.
The paint doesn’t guarantee that drivers wont make mistakes because the Volvo LifePaint website warns>
“Volvo Cars/Grey/Albedo accept no liability or responsibility for any individual or individual’s accident or injury by any road user or other object whilst wearing Lifepaint, damage to property caused directly or indirectly by the paint and that it is transferable. Cycle safety is the cyclist’s responsibility and Lifepaint is one of the many products that can aid visibility but cannot prevent accidents caused by the individual or other road users.”