Scotty Viz pursues the Holy Grail of cycling safety
It seemed no matter what Scott Kasin and others did, collisions between vehicles and bicyclists kept happening. Collisions in which the vehicle will always win.
Scott’s passion is cycling.
Starting in childhood his passion drove him to participate in competitive racing internationally, launch a bike guiding company, a career in the bike industry and ultimately to a purpose in life: make biking safer.
He earned the nickname “Scotty Viz” (Viz for visibility) as he led a manufacturer’s team to develop safety-related solutions. They developed high-visibility front- and rear-facing daytime bicycle running lights that can be seen from a mile away.
Despite their innovation, the accidents kept happening. Two fatal accidents involving riders using the lights tore at him.
“We supplied products for cyclist safety by making riders visible and conspicuous to drivers”, Scott says. “But these were passive solutions and just not good enough to get through to a distracted driver. Riders can’t possibly be seen all the time. ”
“The ultimate solution has to be an active solution, not a passive one. An active system is the Holy Grail of cycling safety.”
This led Scott to Bosch eBike Systems. The one place he says where the digitization of eBikes can help to improve rider safety and make biking more accessible for riders of all ages and ability levels.
“When I learned Bosch was involved in both the vehicle and biking side of it, I got excited, and I knew that this is where I needed to go,” Scott says. “The work we’re doing at Bosch is going to change the world in terms of bike safety in the long run."
“We have the technology ecosystem to make this happen. We’re working cross-functionally with our mobility group and others to leverage Bosch’s expertise in AIoT technology (Artificial Intelligence + Internet of Things), sensors, connectivity, software, and even ABS (Anti-lock Braking Systems) to transform biking safety.”
The smart system by Bosch’s eBike division is evolving to use V2X (Vehicle to Everything) connectivity to alert both drivers and riders of each other’s proximity while on the road, thereby helping to reduce the number of accidents between vehicles and VRU’s (Vulnerable Road Users).
“When you combine safety and eBike’s ability to make cycling easier and more accessible for people of all ages and levels, then more and more people will ride both for fun and for daily transportation. In the long run, this will improve health and will make transportation more sustainable. This can have a major positive impact on people and our communities,” he says.
Scott is living his passion, fulfilling his purpose and on the road to making an impact. One that so many of us will benefit from.
