Oberwangen, Switzerland (20 March 2024)—Stromer, the market and innovation leader in the field of Class 3 e-bikes, is proud to join the new Coalition for Cyclist Safety (C4CS) to help enable safer cycling on North American roads.

Whether for recreation or mobility, cycling provides numerous environmental, economic, and health benefits. Many people now rely on biking as their primary mode of transportation. Yet, the rise in cycling’s popularity also coincides with an increase in fatalities from traffic accidents involving cyclists. According to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2011 to 2020, bicyclist and other cyclist fatalities increased by 38 percent, from 682 in 2011 to 938 in 2020.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is committed to reducing deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways to the only acceptable number: zero. A powerful tool for achieving this ambitious, long-term goal is cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology, a form of communication tech that is already used throughout the automotive industry.

“The safety of our Stromer riders is a top priority, as they travel an average of 30 km [19 miles] on the road every day. Our aim is to ensure that they not only get from A to B efficiently, but also safely,” says Tomi Viiala, co-CEO of myStromer AG. “That is why we have been developing V2X technology for some time now. This intention is one of the reasons why we are joining the Coalition for Cyclist Safety to work with the automotive industry to achieve a higher standard of safety for cyclists.”

Cross-Industry Coordination
Cycling safety cannot be achieved by one company alone—it requires the cooperation of the automotive, the cycling, and the tech industries, along with policy makers and advocacy groups, all working together toward the same goal. Traditionally, these industry sectors had little or no commonalities. But now, the C4CS provides a platform for mutual understanding on advocacy, cooperation, alignment, and exchange. The coalition is an important step in creating a comprehensive V2X communication ecosystem to improve cyclist safety. 

The diverse array of partners includes:

  • Automotive: Audi, Cariad (Volkswagen)
  • Cycling: Accell Group, AT-Zweirad, Bosch, BMC, Gazelle, Shimano, Stromer, Trek
  • V2X Technology: Autotalks, Commsignia, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Spoke Safety
  • Telecommunication: Deutsche Telekom, Telus

Saving Lives with Connectivity
C-V2X technology can save lives by enabling vehicles to communicate with each other, with roadside infrastructure, and with other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. It works through a V2X chipset, software stack, and onboard unit within a vehicle, which then connects via a mobile network or directly to the corresponding system on a bicycle. This allows the car to digitally “see” a bicycle that also has the technology, and activate a timely safety alert to help avoid a collision.

C-V2X technology has the potential to help decrease the more than 130,000 injuries (according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control) suffered by cyclists annually on U.S. roadways.

“As a premium manufacturer, we are committed to supporting new safety-relevant developments and integrating them into our platform without delay. We are also able to integrate new technologies into our bikes quickly and easily, as we are one of the few manufacturers to develop and produce electronics and mechanics entirely in-house,” says Stromer co-CEO Karl Ludwig Kley. 

The coalition will begin this initiative in the United States and Canada, with the goal of expanding to Europe and other regions of the world.