Safety is undoubtedly one of the issues that ebike manufacturers will be focusing on more closely in the coming years. Technology now allows effective systems to be installed on ebikes in a minimal amount of space and reliably powered by the ebike battery. A key component of Giant’s model offensive for 2026, for example, is a radar warning system. Swiss manufacturer Viiala, on the other hand, is pursuing a different path. It has now announced a V2X system for its ebikes. However, it will be a few years before these come onto the market.
1. Nothing less than the ultimate riding experience
2. Ebikes connected to other vehicles and infrastructure
3. Spoke Safety considers aftermarket solution and direct integration
4. Awareness of cyclists firmly anchored in car on-board systems
5. V2X system for ebikes only a matter of time
1. Nothing less than the ultimate riding experience
Viiala, founded by former Stromer CEO Tomi Viiala and François-Henri Bennahmias, launched in late summer 2025 with big words. “Viiala’s first model opens up a new, previously untapped price range above today’s market. It is more than an ebike, it is a statement of possibilities – where technology, aesthetics and practicality come together to create the ultimate riding experience for the cities of today and the roads of tomorrow.‘ According to industry magazine Velobiz, the aforementioned ’previously untapped price range” could mean a sum of around 25,000 euros.
One or two unique selling points would certainly be an advantage in persuading potential buyers to make a purchase. It looks like safe riding is set to be one of them. That’s why Viiala has now announced a partnership with the US company Spoke Safety. Their V2X system, a solution for communication between a vehicle and any other object, is designed to prevent accidents between a Viila ebike and other road users.
2. Ebikes connected to other vehicles and infrastructure
Viila’s own ebikes will therefore be equipped with VRU2X from Spoke Safety. VRU stands for ‘vulnerable road users’. The term includes all people who participate in road traffic and are considered particularly vulnerable. This includes people who ride bicycles, walk, use e-scooters or similar means of transport. In short, all groups of people who travel on the road without the protection of a car body and whose crumple zone is therefore zero millimetres.
With the help of V2X systems such as VRU2X, these people become digitally visible to cars, lorries, buses, motorcycles, but also traffic lights, road signs and construction site barriers. To achieve this, all of the objects mentioned, including ebikes, are equipped with chips. With the help of existing mobile networks, all entities belonging to the system can communicate with each other. If cyclists and vehicles are close enough to each other, they can perceive each other even without direct visual contact. Corresponding warnings appear in the cockpit of a car and on the display of an ebike, alerting drivers and cyclists to a potentially dangerous situation. This drastically reduces the number of accidents involving the particularly vulnerable groups mentioned above. At least, that is the hope of Viiala, Spoke Safety and all other companies involved in such projects.
3. Spoke Safety considers aftermarket solution and direct integration
In any case, Viiala has a competent partner at its side in Spoke Safety. The manufacturer is considered one of the pioneers in this field. It entered into its first cooperation with the US technology group Qualcomm back in 2021. Since then, Spoke Safety has been working on V2X solutions for various market participants. According to the company, the VRU2X system will be available in the future both as a retrofit kit and as a module that manufacturers of ebike systems, drive systems and ebikes can integrate directly into their solutions.
On its website, Spoke Safety describes its application for ebikes as a module that is powered by the ebike battery and communicates directly with the control system of the ebike drive. In the future, users will be able to manage the respective functions via an app, which will also display corresponding warning messages. Alternatively, this will also work on the ebike display.
Spoke Safety also has its eye on leasing providers as potential customers. They could equip their fleets with the technology – either retroactively with a suitable set or by offering ebikes with already integrated solutions.
As things stand at present, Spoke Safety VRU2X is most likely to become a tail light. This is supported by the fact that it can be seen as a prototype on the website and has been used in several demonstrations over the past two years. In addition, the image accompanying the press release from Viiala and Spoke Safety shows a rather delicate tail light embedded directly in the seat post. This is significantly smaller than the prototype mentioned above, which probably reflects the current stage of development quite realistically.
4. Awareness of cyclists firmly anchored in car on-board systems
On the car side, a system such as VRU2X should be able to intervene quite massively in driving. For example, if it detects that a car is approaching an intersection and is about to cut off a cyclist, it brakes automatically beforehand. The same happens if there is a risk of collision with a bicycle approaching in the blind spot when turning right. If, on the other hand, a car is parked in a parking space, the system could lock the car doors on the driver’s side to prevent a dooring accident. Or it prevents the car from pulling out of the parking space if the driver has overlooked the ebike in the rear-view mirror.
Currently, mutual recognition works at distances of around 300 metres. According to Spoke Safety, the chip installed in the vehicles reports its current position ten times per second. At driving speeds of around 50 kilometres per hour within built-up areas, this could result in live tracking that could be very effective.
5. V2X system for ebikes only a matter of time
Viila wants to launch its first series models in 2028 – already equipped with a V2X solution. Given the current progress, this seems entirely achievable. Firstly, Spoke Safety’s developments are already very advanced. And secondly, Spoke Safety is by no means acting alone. Part of the global effort to finalise the production of such a system is being coordinated by a collaboration called the Coalition for Cyclists Safety (C4CS). Since its foundation in 2023, it has brought together companies from the automotive, bicycle, telecommunications and technology industries. Companies such as Bosch, Shimano, Sram, the Accell Group, BMC, Canyon, Gazelle, Riese & Müller, Specialized, Stromer, Trek and Velo de Ville are involved in C4CS. Spoke Safety is also a member, of course. As such, it works with bicycle rental company Bird in addition to Viiala. Since 2025, Bird has been testing the Spoke Safety system on part of its fleet in Denver.
This bodes well for Viiala’s promise to integrate a V2X system into its ebikes. However, it is quite possible that other brands will be quicker off the mark.
Pictures: Spoke Safety, LLC; Viiala AG; The Coalition for Cyclist Safety
The intention to improve road safety is welcome, but this approach feels fundamentally misdirected.
A €25,000 ebike fitted with advanced V2X electronics is not a realistic safety solution for the vast majority of people who cycle to work, ride for leisure, or simply use a bicycle as everyday transport. It is a luxury product aimed at a small, wealthy segment able to buy the latest technology. That raises an uncomfortable question: are we solving safety problems, or just selling expensive toys?
Real-world cycling safety does not depend on premium electronics. It depends on infrastructure and behaviour:
1. Protected cycle lanes
2. Better junction design
3. Lower urban speed limits
4. Improved driver awareness
5. Consistent enforcement of traffic laws
These measures protect everyone, regardless of income or the price of their bike.
There is also a deeper issue. Safety on the road ultimately depends on drivers exercising care, attention and responsibility. Technology can assist, but it should never become a substitute for proper driving. If drivers begin to rely on digital systems to tell them when cyclists are present, responsibility shifts away from human awareness and judgement, which is exactly the wrong direction.
Until systems like this are affordable, universal and proven effective, they look less like a safety breakthrough and more like an expensive solution searching for a problem — one that does little for the ordinary cyclist sharing real roads every day.
Hello,
We totally get your point. In ideal world we’ll take your improved infrastructure and a V2X system. We are pretty sure V2X tech will appear with much affordable ebikes as well, maybe even before Viiala is on the market.
Cheers, Matthias