Volvo’s spray-on paint makes nights safer for cyclists

A spray-on reflective paint to help make cyclists more noticeable on the roads has been developed, and by a car company no less.That's right, cyclists worried about being seen at night by drivers will soon be able to turn their bike and themselves into a glowing frame on wheels, thanks to Volvo and its partnership with Grey London and Swedish start-up Albedo100.

Called Life Paint, the reflective safety paint is invisible by daylight but in the dark reflects light in the same direction as the light source, shining brightly to illuminate the objects it has been sprayed on.The high-tech paint can be sprayed on your bike, clothes, helmet, shoes and anything else you can find in your house for that matter. And it can be washed off after a ride. It will not affect the colour or surface of your chosen material.

It will last for approximately one week after application, depending on what surface you spray it onto and how much you apply.In practice, it works in a similar way to reflective coatings already found on cycling and running gear from the likes of Nike that are designed to make you more visible to others on the road.

And it is not just a belated April Fools' either, Volvo says it has already been trailing the paint in six London-based cycle shops where it's given 2,000 cans away for free to make sure it works. At this moment though, it doesn't have any proof that the paint is making a difference on the road.Volvo says if Life Paint proves popular, the project will expand nationally and internationally.

Charity RoadSafe certainly welcomed the news. "Driving a car is a complex and demanding task. In poor light conditions it becomes even harder, especially in towns and cities where the road is often shared with cyclists and pedestrians. This innovative technology will certainly help to make it a safer place and it is really encouraging to see a manufacturer reaching out to make pedestrians and cyclists less vulnerable," it said.