Swedish car manufacturer <a style="background-color: transparent;" href="http://www.volvocars.com/uk/pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Volvo</a> has teamed up with UK
<a style="background-color: transparent;" href="/design" target="_blank">design</a> company <a style="background-color: transparent;" href="http://www.grey.co.uk/" target="_blank">Grey London</a> and startup <a style="background-color: transparent;" href="http://www.albedo100.co.uk/" target="_blank">Albedo100</a> to create a unique reflective spray paint designed to save cyclists' lives.
<a href="http://www.volvolifepaint.com/" target="_blank">LifePaint</a> is a washable material that can be applied to all manner of things -- from helmets and clothes, to dog leads or backpacks -- and lasts for around a week after being applied. Although the paint is invisible to the naked eye, and won't damage or discolour fabrics, it dramatically glows in the glare of headlights, illuminating <a href="/cyclists" target="_blank">cyclists</a> riding at night.
LifePaint builds on Volvo's growing range of in-car technology designed to boost the safety of drivers and other road users, including its <a href="http://www.volvocars.com/intl/about/our-innovation-brands/intellisafe"
target="_blank">Intellisafe</a> system and <a href="http://support.volvocars.com/uk/cars/Pages/owners-manual.aspx?mc=Y555&my=2015&sw=14w20&article=3f8a46e5abfea17dc0a801e801566be9"
target="_blank">Active Bending Headlights</a> (ABL).
Intellisafe is a series of integrated features to help make driving safer, including Park Assist Pilot, Adaptive Cruise Control and blind spot information. ABL uses Volvo's Active Xenon headlamps to follow the car's steering and provide maximum lighting in bends and junctions.
Nick Connor, managing director at Volvo Car UK, said in a statement: "Every year more than 19,000 cyclists are injured on the UK's roads. At Volvo, we believe that the best way to survive a crash is not to crash, and are committed to making the roads a safer place by reducing the number of accidents."
He continued: "Volvo is a world-leader in safety technology, and we are proud to be extending our reach beyond just those driving our cars. By making cyclists increasingly visible as well as increasing the safety capabilities of our cars, we are doing our utmost to protect everyone on the road."
LifePaint will no doubt be welcomed by two-wheeled travellers everywhere. However, the spray isn't widely available yet. It's currently being trialled at six cycling shops in Kent and London, where 2,000 cans are being given away. But if LifePaint is a success, and convinces cyclists and drivers alike that there's more to road safety than getting by on a wing mirror and a prayer, then LifePaint could soon be lighting up roads across the UK and internationally.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
