German Luxury Vehicle Maker Enters Smart Eyewear Market

Various tech companies have been teasing us for years with tantalizing talk about smart eyewear.

But, so far, none of them have really grabbed hold of the burgeoning smart glasses market.

Certainly, as our latest installment of Better Vision in the print magazine details, there are a growing number of smart eyewear products available right now, from augmented reality to virtual reality to artificial intelligence-connected frames.

The majority of these products are useful and/or very cool. (The medical applications of some of these devices are inspiring.) Yet, outside of maybe the notable exception of gaming applications, we have yet to witness a product latch on with the masses. Are you ready to shell out more than $3K on an Apple Vision Pro AR/VR headset?

Into the fray enters BMW Motorrad.

The motorcycle division of the German luxury vehicle maker this week revealed its entry into the technology-infused eyewear landscape: The BMW Motorrad Connected Ride Smartglasses.

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These motorcycle glasses offer riders a heads-up display featuring important dashboard metrics, such as speed, gear, and navigation. The display in the right lens is rather small. But that is purposeful. The idea is not to distract a rider while positioning vital metrics in their field of view. That way they never have to look away from the road to, for instance, know how fast they are traveling.

The eyewear is connected to a smartphone using Bluetooth technology and an app. What is projected onto the display can be set beforehand or selected while riding with the assistance of a “multicontroler” located on the handlebars. A lithium-ion battery allows for up to 10 hours of continual use between full charges.

BMW Motorrad also touts the comfort of its new eyewear.

From the company website: “The design of the smart glasses and the display has been adapted to meet the special needs of motorcyclists. The BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses can be adapted to fit numerous helmets and face shapes. This makes the smart glasses comfortable to wear even on long day trips.”

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The eyewear will be available for purchase in the U.S. later in 2023. Based on a revealed price of €690 for the European market, the ConnectedRide Smartglasses should sell for around $750 in the U.S.

Eyewear specs

BMW Motorrad lists the following details about its ConnectedRide Smartglasses on its website:

• Two sizes (M + L) available with different nose pads. Medium for pupil distance 53 to 67 mm, Large for 59 to 73 mm.
• Two sets of lenses (1 x tinted and 1 x 85% transparent) integrated light sensor, certified UVA/UVB filter.
• RX adapter for adjusting the lenses to the required visual acuity (up to max. 4 diopters) by an optician.
• Can be connected to a smartphone and the BMW Motorrad Connected App via Bluetooth.
• Real-time GPS data transfer from app to Smartglasses.
• Head-Up function for navigation with individual display.
• Display of speed, speed limit, gear, and navigation (reduced arrow display or detailed navigation with street names, intersections, and precise directions).
• Integrated light sensor and integrated optics module for securely transferring data and securely displaying data on the top left of the right glass.
• Lithium-ion battery provides up to ten hours of operation.
• USB charging cable.
• Operating temperature range -10° to 50° C.
• Anthracite frame.