Easily recognisable Detectable Jacket is up to twice more visible for vehicle sensors  than conventional high-visibility vests. The glass microbead technology also amplifies nighttime visibility by up to 300 metres; a six- fold increase over standard white outerwear.

Continental has joined forces with the outdoor clothing specialist Urban Circus to develop a highly Detectable Jacket that offers cyclists and pedestrians a new dimension of safety on the road. As the daylight hours shrink, vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians become more difficult to spot by the human eye and vehicles alike. In comparison to conventional high-visibility jackets, the Detectable Jacket is much better recognisable to the human eye. It is also up to twice more visible to LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and camera sensors of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which constantly monitor the vehicles’ surroundings. For this solution, the partners have bundled their competencies – Urban Circus its expertise in outdoor clothing that protects against darkness, wind and rain, and Continental its experience with vehicle sensors – and developed a safe, stylish jacket  that is suitable for everyday use.

“Our ‘Vision Zero’ – zero fatalities, zero injuries, zero crashes – not only includes automobile users, but also focuses especially on vulnerable road users. With the Detectable Jacket, a joint innovation from Continental’s own development and production service provider Continental Engineering Services and Urban Circus, the outdoor wear specialist, we are moving one further step closer to making urban traffic safer for VRUs,” Eric Vincelot, Head, Continental Engineering Services (CES) France,  says.

More visible to human eye and the vehicle

The special arrangement of fluorescent and reflective inserts in the patented Urban-RPrint technology fabric used for the Detectable Jacket is detected by on-board cameras and LiDAR systems faster and more reliably. To the eyes of the ADAS-sensors, the Detectable Jacket is up to twice more visible than conventional high-visibility vests. Accordingly, the system can intervene faster and better, brake or even stop completely. The size and position of the fabric inserts were chosen so that the sensors can directly detect the silhouette of a cyclist or pedestrian. At the same time, the risk of dazzling the sensors and cameras was minimized. In addition, glass microbead technology increases visibility to the human eye up to 300 meters. This is made possible by the retroreflective Urban-RPrint fabric, which is coated with thousands of micro-glass spheres and can reflect light from vehicle headlights up to 300 metres away. As a result, cyclists and pedestrians are better protected from accidents with vehicles, even in the dark and in poor visibility.

Unparalleled safety and unbeatable style

Urban Circus specialists have brought all their expertise in trendy, functional outdoor clothing to the  joint development. The Detectable Jacket is not only safe and innovative, but also comfortable and stylish. It is wind and waterproof, thus saving also from draughts and heavy rain. Thanks to the water vapour permeability, the jacket is still breathable and wicks moisture caused by perspiration to the outside, so that the wearer has a pleasantly dry feeling on the skin even during sweaty sports activities.

Continentaldevelops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2021, Continental generated sales of €33.8 billion and currently employs more than 190,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Continental Engineering Services (CES) was founded in 2006, and as an agile and flexible engineering and production partner develops tailor-made, technologically sophisticated solutions for a wide range of applications, including automotive, railway engineering, aviation, shipping, mining and smart cities. 2,000 employees worldwide contribute their expertise and experience in the key technologies for automated driving, information management & connectivity, electrification and services in the field of multimodal mobility. This makes possible a new level of individual, safe and sustainable mobility.

Urban Circus develops high visibility clothing that makes users feel confident, so that everyone can experience the city freely. The brand is reinventing the unattractive “yellow vest” by relying on innovation and the desire to move with the times. If the law imposes high visibility clothing on two wheels, Urban Circus makes it a style”.