As this video explains, Hövding bills itself as “a revolutionary bicycle helmet, a new innovation designed for the modern cyclist”.
It is essentially a helmet worn as a scarf around the neck of the rider until sensors in the device anticipate an impact or collision and fire an airbag around the head of the rider. The Swedish manufactures claim it’s safer than a convention helmet.
The ‘scarf’ also easily becomes part of your outfit using the changeable shell; blending in with your clothes while not messing up your hair unless to save your head from impact.
Hövding contains sensors that are constantly monitoring the cyclist’s movements when it is switched on. The sensors detect any changes in velocity or angle of the cyclist and can distinguish between normal cycling and accidents.
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Hövding started out in 2005 as a master’s thesis by the two founders Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin, who were studying Industrial Design at the University of Lund in Sweden.
The idea of developing a new type of cycle helmet was a response to the introduction of a law on mandatory helmet use for children up to the age of 15 in Sweden, which triggered a debate on whether cycle helmets should be mandatory for adults too.
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Anna and Terese saw their master’s thesis as an opportunity to find out whether it would be possible to develop a cycle helmet that people would be happy to wear – whether they had to or not.
Today the Hövding company consists of 17 staff with its head office is located in Malmö, Sweden.
The 'helmet' as worn around the neck (left) and how it looks when it inflates to protect the head and neck from impact.
It's called a helmet but it's really an airbag for the head that lays in wait around the neck until it's called for.
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