General Motors introduced a new technology feature designed to prevent more vehicle collisions with cyclists.
The Side Bicyclist Alert, which comes standard on various 2025-model vehicles, shows an amber-colored icon in vehicles’ side mirrors when the feature perceives a cyclist in a blind spot or if a cyclist is fast-approaching, GM said in a press release. It escalates to an audible alert chime and icon flashing if a turn signal is on at the same time that a cyclist is in a blind zone. Vehicles with GM’s Safety Alert Seat technology will also pulse in that scenario.
GM, in explaining its motivation for adding the feature, cites Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing almost 1,000 cyclists are killed in collisions on U.S. roads each year.
It said the alert feature can also help prevent vehicle occupants from opening a door as a cyclist passes, known as “dooring,” which can present danger of serious injury to the cyclist. GM said the system stays active for several minutes after the vehicle is shifted into park or turned off.
Some GM models also come equipped with alerts informing drivers of cyclists or pedestrians in front of the vehicle that escalate to automatic emergency braking if the driver doesn’t apply the brakes to avoid a collision.
