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Cape Town - Navigation technology firm Garmin has bought a Stellenbosch-based start-up specialising in radar technology.
The navigation firm said on Wednesday that it had acquired all the assets of iKubu, which has developed a low energy bicycle radar.
The radar is intended to warn cyclists of potential threats behind them by scanning the road.
"iKubu has found a way to implement short-range radar into a low-power system that addresses a common concern among cyclists - identifying potential hazards that are approaching them from behind," said Cliff Pemble, Garmin CEO.
Based in Stellenbosch outside Cape Town, iKubu develops radar solutions. The company's 'Backtracker' is a flasher unit that fits on to a bicycle, but also scans the environment for threats.
It is likely that the system can be expanded for multiple-use scenarios where a warning system that augments direct visual observation is necessary.
Garmin said that the seven-member team from iKubu will become employees at Garmin South Africa and work as a research centre for the company.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
