While we've previously seen SOS functionality integrated into new motorcycles overseas, Triumph Motorcycles has gone one step further by developing a smartphone app capable of detecting a motorcycle crash and alerting emergency services around the world. And the best part? You don't have to own a Triumph to make use of the new app.
Available for riders in the UK, Europe, ROI, North America, Australia and New Zealand, the new service is available to all riders regardless of the bike they own with a monthly subscription fee (which as yet we don't know the price of) and with a 3-month free trial for all Triumph owners.
Regular pricing is $6.99 a month for the service which packs plenty if worthwhile features alongside the safety net of the SOS functionality.
Triumph says that their SOS app has been specifically tailored for motorcyclists, and monitors key sensors in your smartphone to detect and validate an accident. If it detects an accident, the app automatically sends on the rider's time-critical details such as precise GPS location, the direction of travel, bike details, and the rider's medical information to emergency services within seconds of the accident being detected.
So how does it know if you’re in need of assistance? We asked Andrew Richardson, Co-Founder of Triumph SOS app developer Realsafe Technologies LTD to give us the basics.
“The accident detection system is designed to validate each and every impact to determine if the rider is moving and may require emergency assistance. This uses proprietary processes over a period of time (post-impact) to understand what the rider is doing,” he explained.
“It achieves this by monitoring a range of sensors in the phone. These processes have developed and refined over many years of real-world driving and riding.
If no movement is detected, the app generates a 60-second alert in which the rider can cancel. For each second it counts down, the app generates an on-screen notification, vibration and sound. If the rider continues to move during this process, the system is intelligent enough to recognise this and will auto cancel the alarm.”
An interesting note is that the app does not record or send any speed or telematics data to the emergency services, which may be both a blessing or a curse depending on the type of accident and whether that data may be relevant or not.
The app also has advanced features including a sophisticated auto-pause technology to prevent accidental triggering of the SOS function. Riders can also choose to turn off the accident detection function if they desire.
In addition to the primary function of accident detection and alerting the authorities should you come off, the Triumph SOS app also has a range of other useful features to make it worth its monthly fee.
Riders can share routes and photos from their rides in-app or via social media, export and share GPX files (the files used for traditional GPS units such as TomTom or Garmin) from rides the app has recorded, create and manage group rides and more.
The fully integrated system that protects you while riding in the UK, ROI, North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Triumph SOS is available for a rolling monthly subscription charge, with no cancellation fees or long-term contract commitment.
We think this is a brilliant initiative from Triumph. Not only does it tick the box for safety, but it also isn't exclusive just to the Triumph Motorcycles brand allowing riders the world over regardless of their bike to make use of the potentially lifesaving features of the Triumph SOS app.