Volvo Cars UK, has launched Life Paint, a unique reflective safety paint that is invisible by day but reflects light back at night. The concept has come about to increase the safety of cyclists on the roads.

Life Paint was conceived by creative agency Grey London and has been produced in partnership with Swedish start-up, Albido100. The Life Paint is a transparent and washable reflective paint that can be applied to items such as clothes, shoes, helmets, backpacks, etc.

Volvo says the initiative marks another step in its mission to improve safety for those inside and outside its cars. This builds on the development of Intellisafe, Volvo’s innovative safety system which integrates some of the latest safety technologies to the manufacturer’s cars.

The technology uses a combination of radar sensors and cameras to identify other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists and automatically brake if the driver fails to take the necessary action. This works in conjunction with Volvo’s Active Bending Headlights, which adjust left to right according to the steering input to help see round corners better and improve safety at night. 

Intellisafe’s unique pedestrian and cyclist-detection system, enhanced to work in darkness on the all-new Volvo XC90, was the inspiration for the Life Paint project.

Together, these innovations contribute towards Volvo’s Vision 2020 – a concept that there should be no fatalities or injuries in or by a Volvo, by 2020.

The company has said that if the project proves popular, it will be introduced in other markets internationally.