Qualcomm Working Together With Spoke to Transform Safety For Cyclists And Scooter Riders

Spoke, a U.S. mobility platform for 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, Inc. The Spoke hardware and software suite offers secure, direct communication for contextual awareness and alerts between drivers and riders, enhancing safety for VRUs.

Spoke’s platform is designed to enable vehicles to identify VRUs using the same C-V2X
technology used in vehicles. This capability provides critical augmentation to other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar, and Light Detection and Radar (LIDAR).

C-V2X is also globally compatible with 5G networks and cloud-based APIs, enabling numerous capabilities with artificial intelligence/machine learning to enhance safety features.

The start-up is working with a number of stakeholders, including Qualcomm Technologies and vehicle, bicycle, scooter and motorcycle OEMs, for maximum scale, adoption and safety impact.

Jarrett Wendt, Spoke CEO, says: “This is game-changing connectivity for both safety and for the mobility experience overall. 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.”

He adds: “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. 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.”

Spoke’s portfolio, which will also include modem-based communications, will be launching with their OEM bicycle, motorcycle and scooter partners in 2022.