The AlpsAlpine Ride Safety System RS 1000 is a new rear-facing safety camera that could be a blueprint for future devices.
The Safety System RS 1000 offers a live view of what’s happening immediately behind you through your phone.
An award-winner at Eurobike 2023 when still in prototype development, the device also functions as a rear light with a reactive brake function.
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AlpsAlpine claims the RS 1000 device makes use of artificial intelligence to drive its functions, which centre around the camera.
This is capable of recording in 1080p resolution, which can be transmitted live to a connected smartphone. AlpsAlpine says it specifically chose a wide-angle lens to help eliminate blind spots from the camera's view.
Algorithms are said to enable the device to detect approaching vehicles from behind, flashing up warnings to the connected phone – much like a standard radar unit, except processing live-view images instead of a reflected radar signal.
Importantly, rather than treating all vehicles and situations the same, AlpsAlpine says its software adapts to the environment. For example, in a more built-up area surrounded by traffic, the device will focus on the behaviour of closer vehicles moving at slower speed.
Unlike most rearview radars and cameras, which use Bluetooth or ANT+ to connect to bike computers (such as the Garmin Varia RCT715 and Wahoo Trackr Radar), the RS 1000 relies on connecting to a phone’s hotspot functionality to transmit the live camera feed.
Generally speaking, these hotspot functions use a short-range WiFi signal, which has far greater bandwidth than Bluetooth.
In practice, I’ve found this allows a higher-quality video feed to be displayed on the smartphone, with almost zero lag.
The camera can be mounted lengthways or upright on a round seatpost through a quarter-turn interface, or directly to a bike’s rear rack.
Near misses
The RS 1000 features a MicroSD memory card slot, on which near misses and incidents can be recorded.
This is a standard function of the device, although AlpsAlpine also offers a subscription service at £2.99 a month, or £24.99 a year, which enables it to connect to Shimano ebikes that make use of the Japanese brand’s E-Tube app.
This transforms the phone screen into a cockpit display overlaid onto the rearview camera.
The rear light is StVZO-compliant (meaning it doesn’t flash), but the brake-light function is capable of brightening to signal stopping and heavy deceleration.
The AlpsAlpine Ride Safety System RS 1000 is available now, priced at €349.99. This includes the mounting bracket for the device, but a memory card and phone mounting bracket must be bought separately.
