IN
THE
WIND
P24
BMW'S LASER GUIDED
HEADLIGHTS.
W
e know BMW has been developing the technol-
ogy for some time, but at the Las Vegas Consumer
Electronics Show held last week, BMW showed off their
laser headlight technology in their premier touring ma-
chine, the K 1600 GTL.
Laser headlight technology has been in the firm's 7
Series and i8 sedans for some time, but the technology
is brand new to motorcycling.
The laser headlights generate an exceptionally bright,
pure white light and have a high beam range of nearly
2000 feet, double that of a conventional headlight. And, the laser system requires much less mainte-
nance than a traditional headlight system, which is good news for the hip pocket.
But, don't expect the technology very soon. BMW says the laser system is still too expensive for mo-
torcycles. BMW expects to see their bikes equipped with the feature "in the medium term," which could
be anything from six months to six years.
Still, it's nice to see some development in this area of the market. CN
BMW SHOWS HEAD-UP DISPLAY
AT LAS VEGAS
B
MW Motorrad unveiled a new Head-Up Display
(HUD) system for their motorcycle helmets at the
Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week.
Still only in prototype form, the HUD system relays
information like speed, navigation and vehicle specifics
like tire pressure and fuel level, as well as impending
road signals and dangers like road work.
BMW also claims that by way of V2V (Vehicle 2 Ve-
hicle) communication, in the future riders will be able
to receive information in real time, which would include
suddenly impending hazards like road surface condition.
The helmet is equipped with a forward and rear-facing
camera, meaning you can record your ride on the front
camera while using the rear as a rear-view mirror.
The BMW product is the latest in a range of "smart"
helmets that are starting to surface, but the company
says they are still developing the technology, so don't
expect it for sale for at least a couple of years. CN
The BMW HUD
helmet is a peek
into a not-too-
distant future.
"Come with me if you want to live." BMW's laser
headlights look like something from Terminator 2.
