Originally developed for fighter pilots, head-up displays — or “HUDs” — are an incredibly practical concept when applied to road-going vehicles, enabling drivers to see vital real-time data such as speed and GPS directions without having to look down at an instrument cluster or take their eyes off of the road. Beginning with the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in the 1970s, HUDs have been available on a growing number of primarily high-end production cars and trucks, though have been much slower to catch on in the two-wheeled realm — albeit not for a lack of trying. From Skully to Reyedr to NUVIZ to EyeLights, no shortage of moto HUD startups have popped up over the last half-decade alone, though exceedingly few have managed to stand the test of time.
Despite the less-than-stellar track record of most existing moto HUD outfits — the vast majority of which are no longer in operation — it appears this technology will soon finally be available to the riding masses thanks to a number of major, established brands tossing their respective hats into the motorcycle head-up display ring. And after Shoei recently announced its HUD-equipped Opticson helmet — which is slated for a release in December — BMW has now revealed that it too is getting in on the head-up action with the debut of the all-new BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses. The Bavarian brand has long offered head-up displays in its cars — beginning with the E60-gen 5 Series in 2004 — though has now applied this technology to its two-wheeled division.
Pairing with the BMW Motorrad Connected App, the ConnectedRide Smartglasses resemble your average pair of modern shades, though the interior side of the glasses feature a micro HUD display that shows metrics such as real-time speed, speed limit, gear position, and turn-by-turn navigation directions — the latter of which can be viewed in a spartan arrow display mode or a highly-detailed nav mode that includes street names, intersections, and precise directions with approaching distances and other key alerts and info. Drawing from a USB-rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that affords a full 10 hours of use on a single charge, the glasses also sport an integrated light sensor along with an integrated optics module. Capable of operating in extreme temperatures ranging from 14°F to 122°F (-10°C to +50°C), the ConnectedRide Smartglasses are sold with two included pairs of lenses; a clear set; and a tinted set. Additionally thanks to an RX adapter, these glasses can easily be fitted with prescription lenses. The frame on BMW Motorrad’s ConnectedRide Smartglasses was also designed to comfortably fit and be worn beneath a motorcycle helmet, be it an open or full-faced lid.
Offered in medium or large frame sizes that each come with differently-sized nose-pads, the BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses will be available for order in the coming days with pricing set at €690 (~ $750).
