Futuristic cycling safety jacket wins design competition

An innovative (and dare we say, rather dashing?) safety jacket could be coming to the High Street in the not-too-distant future after winning a contest run by Volvo for students at the London College of Fashion.

For the competition, the students were invited to create lifestyle products to complement the design of the car manufacturer's new XC90 model.

The victorious team's entry was a jacket in three designs, including 'Commuter', a tailored style with wearable technology including reflective panels and fibres.

The 'Weekender' is a more casual version with a relaxed fit, while 'Competitive' features waterproofing and aerodynamic technology.

>>>The Future of Cycling? Highlights from the Wearable Technology Show

Among the garment's other innovations are indicator lights and a group tracker, which allows cyclists to communicate with and keep track of each other.

If taken further, this could be just the latest in a series of safety measures that Volvo have looked to introduce for cyclists in recent months.

In December 2014, it was confirmed that the Swedish company was working on technology to warn cyclists and drivers who might be on a collision course - and a version of this was incorporated into the jacket.

Then earlier this year, Volvo trialled the use of LifePaint, a glow-in-the-dark spray designed to make cyclists and their equipment more visible while travelling at night.

Volvo Life Paint