A bicycle with:
* simple carbon fiber frame with carbon nanotubes
* accelerometer to detect potholes and fine-scale motion
* GPS and speed sensor to track position, so bike can tell where you are on a route
* smartphone app with which you choose a route, and for statistics display (speed, etc)
* bluetooth communication between phone and electronics in the bike
* hub dynamo to power the electronics
* leds on handlebar tell you when to turn (turn-by-turn navigation)
* ultrasound sensor in bike frame detects cars and obstacles behind and to the left and right
* handlebar vibrates to alert you if something is within a box that extends 10 feet behind you and 4 feet to left or right
* accelerometers detect potholes
* Vanhawks servers collect info about the routes you and other riders take
* Vanhawks builds up database of potholes, closed lanes, blocked roads, elevation profiles, traffic
* If a bike is reported stolen, and another Vanhawks bike travels within the stolen bike's bluetooth range, the stolen bike communicates with the second bike to aid recovery
* fixie model about $1000
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1931822269/vanhawks-valour-first-ever-connected-carbon-fibre
The problems I anticipate:
* a proximity sensor with only a 10 foot range seems way too limited. isn't a mirror more effective?
* can their sensor system distinguish between a car 3 feet away and a large cyclist 3 feet away?
* for turn notification, who watches their handlebars while bicycling in the city?
* handlebar vibrations might be imperceptible when biking on a rough or potholed road
* what happens when the GPS data is wrong by 50 feet?
* can system tell the difference between a cyclist on a separated bike trail and a cyclist on an adjacent road, 10 feet away?
* how good is their traffic data?
* how is privacy of your route info safeguarded?
