​World’s first cycling airbag reaches 50,000 sales worldwide

• Stanford University report, which found Hövding to provide 8x more protection than a helmet, triggers sales surge
• UK is now the second-fastest growing market

Today Hövding, the manufacturer of the revolutionary airbag for cyclists, announced sales across the globe have reached 50,000 units since 2012.

2016 was a record year for Hövding, with sales more than double between September and December compared to last year. Recognised in a prestigious Stanford University report as providing the best head protection for cyclists on the market, as well as global interest in the cycling airbag, Hövding is now reviewing production to meet increased customers’ demands.

Worn like a collar, Hövding uses multiple sensors that enable it to read and identify when an urban cycling accident is eminent. As it records a cyclist’s body movements at 200 times per second, it can activate prior to an accident situation. Once triggered, the in-built airbag is fully deployed in 0.1 seconds, providing full protection for both head and neck before impact.

Fredrik Carling, the CEO of Hövding commented, “50,000 is a huge milestone for us. Our success is testament to the dedicated, professional and passionate team we’ve built, but also to the message that we are spreading. We believe that a focus on safety should be at the forefront of every urban cyclist’s mind and we have worked hard to provide a functional and attractive solution. 2017 is a key year for us and we fully expect sales to grow exponentially as we change the way the world views cycling safety.”

The Hövding airbag is now sold in over 836 stores across 17 countries around the globe and the company is aware of at least 800 cases where a Hövding has protected a cyclist in an accident, potentially saving their life.

Tested by Stanford University in October 2016, Hövding was found to be ‘near perfect’ in terms of protecting cyclist’s head and neck in an event of an accident. In the study, the airbag was compared directly to conventional helmets in a simulation of a single fall, the most common cycling accident. Stanford concluded that Hövding protected cyclists against a concussion eight times better than a traditional helmet. Furthermore, Hövding’s design ensures that not only the head but also the cyclist’s neck is protected in a crash, by securely locking it in place. Also, unlike traditional helmets, the airbag can resist multiple hits, delivering the ultimate security whilst out on the roads.