I rode Volkswagen's worlds safest e-bike at IFA 2026 I love the glasses and radar, but the helmet looks a bit silly, doesnt it?

Date:
Sat, 12 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Description:
I love Volkswagen's glasses and radar, but the helmet looks a bit silly, doesnt it?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Ive dipped my toes into the world of e-bikes at various tech shows, but at IFA I got to experience one of the safest models so far. I rode around on the Volkswagen and n+
collaboration e-bike, which borrows from car tech to spot dangers and alert road users to your presence.

According to VW, this is the worlds safest e-bike and it might be right. To call it an e-bike is to oversimplify the setup, because the Volkswagen comes in three parts: the bike, the glasses, and the helmet. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Beyond typical assistive riding and plenty of lights, the two big things this bike boasts are an integrated rear-view camera and a dashboard display. The camera provides a view of whats going on behind you without you needing to turn your head, with it also warns you when another vehicle is approaching in your blind spot via a radar sensor.

This, and stats such as your speed, can be viewed on the display and on the glasses monocular display. You may like Volkswagen just built an eBike with a rear-view camera Meta Ray-Ban Scriber Optics hands-on: superb 2026 smart glasses I want to just love my Meta AI glasses, but I cant get over privacy fears (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) The see-through screen appears
in front of your right eye and will display your speed, a basic map and directions if youve planned a route, and warnings about blind spots. The glasses themselves are very lightweight at 47g, and offer an excellent eight-hour battery life.

Admittedly, the helmet is a bit big and goofy-looking, but it both protects your head in a fall and features built-in lights white on the front; red in the back to make you more visible to drivers and signal if youre braking or turning, just like a car as well as other electronics. It comes with an IP67 dust- and waterproof rating, and built-in crash detection. Battery life is decent at three hours (commuters should be fine, although avid riders may
have welcomed more), although I wish it matched the eight hours of the glasses. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) My test ride Safety is very much the focus of this e-bike, and I can see it becoming the ultimate vehicle for commuting across cities such as London, where cars can come at you from all angles. Making myself more visible, and getting a heads up when a driver is close behind me, are major wins.

I got a taste of this during my demo. While this year's IFA test track was larger than last years, its still a bit compact for putting an e-bike through its paces. Nevertheless, I got a great feel for how well VWs bike handles corners, and was able to get a little speed on the short straightaways.

It was also possible to get a sense of how distracting or not distracting,
as the case proved the HUD of the glasses might be. It sits just in the corner of your vision, so you have to actively look at it to view your speed. As such, your eyes are still facing ahead and will easily see a turn or oncoming vehicle. What to read next I rode in a self-driving powered wheelchair that avoids obstacles, and can be summoned to you The best
electric bikes: Performance for sport and commutes alike Volkswagen badge thefts soar as thieves target expensive radar sensors (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) The display also simplifies to become less obstructing, reverting to a simple VW logo when your eyes are focused on the road. Directing your sight back at the HUD will reactivate it.

The only thing Im not sold on is the helmet. The safety credentials seem
great but the relatively low battery life and goofy design left me wishing Id stuck with the regular helmet I was offered on the test track.

Well still need to review the e-bike to gauge how well Volkswagens design stacks up against the competition, but my first impression is a very positive one. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/bikes/i-rode-volkswagens-worlds-safes t-e-bike-at-ifa-2026-i-love-the-glasses-and-radar-but-the-helmet-looks-a-bit-s illy-doesnt-it


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