Yet another study shows that Hövding provides much better protection than traditional helmets in cycling accidents

A new study shows that Hövding’s airbag for cyclists significantly reduces the risk of both head and neck injuries in the most common cycling accidents, compared with a traditional helmet. The researchers behind the study developed a method that uses computer models of the human body to assess injury risks in simulations of common cycling accidents. The method was then successfully used to study how Hövding’s airbag for cyclists protects against head and neck injuries compared with a traditional cycle helmet.

“It appears that the collar on the Hövding stabilises the neck and prevents extreme movements, while at the same time cushioning the head’s impact and thus reducing the forces that are transferred to the neck,” explains researcher Victor Alvarez from Lightness by Design, who conducted the study.

Falls with no other vehicle involved are by far the most common type of cycling accident. The study’s simulations for this scenario demonstrated that an unprotected cyclist who hits a kerb, side on, at 20 km/h* and falls onto asphalt is likely to suffer a serious brain injury. Wearing a cycle helmet cut the risk to just under 60%, while a cyclist with a Hövding suffered no brain injury at all and the inflated airbag also stabilised the neck in the fall. The conclusion was that in this kind of accident, the risk of injury is much lower with a Hövding than with a traditional helmet.

The study also simulated collisions between cars and cyclists in the most common situations. In the case where the cyclist is struck from the side by a car driving at 20 km/h*, the simulations showed that the Hövding completely protected the cyclist from serious brain injury, while the risk for a cyclist wearing a traditional helmet was over 80%. Even when the car was travelling at higher speeds, the Hövding still reduced the risk of serious brain injury.

“Hövding’s airbag has been proven to give superior protection against brain injuries, compared with traditional helmets. This study once again confirms the outstanding protective capabilities of the airbag, which also uniquely offers protection against neck injuries,” states Amin Malalla, Director of Product Development at Hövding.

Several previous tests have confirmed that the Hövding provides superior protection compared with traditional cycle helmets. Among these are the extensive tests conducted by Certimoov at the University of Strasbourg in France, which proved that Hövding’s airbag offers better protection and drastically cuts the risk of brain injuries. In studies at Stanford University in the US, the Hövding was found to offer up to eight times better protection against concussion than regular cycle helmets.

Presented internationally

This latest study was conducted by Lightness by Design, who specialise in computational biomechanics. The research project used anatomically detailed models of the human body to simulate accidents. The Hövding was compared with a conceptual helmet with appropriate geometry and material properties. The researchers have also presented their results in a number of road safety forums in Europe under the title “Predicting Head and Neck Injury in Bicycle Accident Simulations”. The developed method will make it possible to further refine and optimise protection for cyclists in the future.

* 20 km/h is the most common speed for cycle helmet tests conducted in Europe.

The researchers behind the study

Victor Alvarez gained a PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm in 2017. The subject was computational impact biomechanics with a focus on simulation of vulnerable road users and brain injury mechanisms. With his background in solid mechanics, Alvarez has also worked at Lightness on purely structural calculations, as well as continuing to develop applications for human modelling and injury prediction. Karin Brolin has a PhD in biomechanics from KTH. In 2009, Brolin was employed to develop research in the field of biomechanics and human modelling at Chalmers University of Technology, where she was made an associate professor in 2012 and served as Professor of Computational Impact Biomechanics from 2015–2020. The two specialists now work together at Lightness by Design on research-related consultancy services in injury prevention and human modelling for numerous industries.

For more information, contact Amin Malalla +46 70 852 59 67 or Victor Alvarez biomechanics@lightness.eu.