BMW's New Smart Glasses Make It Easier For Motorcycle Riders Stay Focused On The Road

Head-Up Displays (HUDs) have become fairly common on cars. Originally intended for military use, HUDs were first used to assist fighter pilots by projecting flight data onto a transparent surface. It eliminated the need for pilots and drivers to constantly look down at their instrument panels and over time, has evolved to become an indispensable feature in modern cars, despite concerns being raised about safety.

Today, HUDs on cars provide drivers with crucial information by projecting data directly onto the windshield or a dedicated display. They allow drivers to access vital information without taking their eyes off the road. Interestingly, despite being reasonably commonplace on cars and other four-wheeled vehicles, HUDs are not prevalent on two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles.

While several helmet-mounted HUDs designed for two-wheelers are on sale, questions have been raised about their efficacy. A serious attempt did come from noted helmet maker Shoei, which came up with a helmet with an inbuilt HUD. However, the product isn't widely available outside of Japan. BMW Motorrad — the company that makes the famed BMW-branded motorcycles and scooters — is seemingly on a path to make HUDs more common on bikes and scooters.

The company, today, took covers off the BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses, a pair of glasses with HUD capabilities. These new sunglasses function exactly like modern HUDs, and can project useful data directly into the rider's field of vision in real-time.

The BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses feature a bevy of smart, connected features. Riders are expected to connect these glasses to their smartphones via Bluetooth using a dedicated app. The setup also includes options to position the projection best suited to the rider. Offered in two sizes — medium and large — the design of these glasses make them compatible with a wide variety of helmets and face shapes. The company claims that these glasses are designed to be worn for long durations and provide a good level of comfort, and even provides nose pads in different sizes to ensure optimum comfort for a wide variety of riders.

In case you are interested, you should note that these smart glasses come equipped with two sets of lenses — one tinted lens and one 85% transparent lens — both incorporating a certified UVA/UVB filter. To ensure optimal visual acuity, the RX adapter allows for vision adjustments, accommodating up to a maximum of 4.5 diopters. The BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses draws power from a lithium-ion battery that offers up to ten hours of operation. When discharged, the battery can be brought back to life with a supplied USB-C cable.

While BMW Motorrad has only showcased these glasses on the eve of the BMW Motorrad Days event in Berlin, the company expects to bring this product to consumers before the end of 2023 according to its release. While global availability details aren't available right now, the BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses has a recommended retail price of 690 euros ($750).