The Netherlands on Monday launched its first-ever “intelligent bicycle”, fitted with an array of electronic devices to help bring down the high accident rate among elderly cyclists in the bicycle-mad country.
荷兰在周一推出了其国内首款“智能自行车”。这种“智能自行车”装有一系列的电子设备，能帮助降低事故发生率。在一些酷爱骑行自行车的国家当中，老年骑自行车者事故频发。
Developed for the government by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the intelligent bicycle prototype runs on electricity, and sports a forward-looking radar mounted below the handlebars and a camera in the rear mudguard.
“智能自行车”是由荷兰政府委托荷兰组织应用科学研究（TNO）开发的。这款原型机依靠电力运行，车把下方装有前视雷达，后方挡泥板上装有相机。
A commercial-available bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1,700 euros ($1,800) to 3,200 euros per bicycle.
这种自行车将有望在未来两年推出市场，每辆售价在1700欧元（合1800美元）至3200欧元之间。
The forward and rearward detection devices on the test bike are linked through an onboard computer with a vibrating warning system installed in the bicycle’s saddle and handlebars to alert cyclists to impending danger.
测试车的前置和后置检测装备通过机载计算机与振动警报系统相连接。内置在自行车车座和车把中的振动警报系统，能够提醒骑自行车者将可能发生的危险。
The saddle vibrates when other cyclists approach from behind, while the handlebars do the same when obstacles appear ahead.
当后方有其他骑自行车者靠近时，车座便会振动起来；而当前方有障碍物时，车把就会振动起来。
It also has a cradle in which a computer tablet can be inserted, to wirelessly connect and “talk” to the bicycle through a dedicated application.
它还有一个置物架，能够置入平板电脑。该平板电脑能无线上网，以及通过专门应用程序与自行车“对话”。
The mounted tablet also flashes a bright signal if there is an approaching obstacle in the bicycle’s path, like a lamppost, or if another cyclist comes up from behind intending to pass.
当道路上有障碍物，如灯柱，或者当其他骑自行车者从后方出现并打算超过时，这个平板电脑便会发出明亮的闪烁信号。
“Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed,” said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of TNO’s research scientists involved in the project.
一位参与该项目的荷兰组织应用科学研究（TNO）的人员，莫里斯·科瓦勒纳（Maurice Kwakkernaat ）说道：“事故通常发生在当骑自行车者朝后看或者当被别人快速超车吓到之时。”
“The onboard system utilities technology already at work in the automotive industry,” he said.
“机载系统实用技术已经在汽车行业得到广泛应用。”
Kwakkernaat said the devices would be useful for cyclists propelled along by the bicycle’s electrical motor, which can reach a top speed of 25 kph (16 mph).
科瓦勒纳表示，电机的时速能达到25千米每小时（16英里每小时），这些装置设备的作用将会很大。
“More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances,” Dutch Environment and Infrastructure Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told AFP.
荷兰基础设施与环境部（Dutch Environment and Infrastructure）部长梅拉妮·舒尔茨·凡·哈根（Melanie Schultz van Haegen）对法新社（AFP）记者表示：“越来越多的老年人开始骑自行车，短途和长途的都有。”
“This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us down bring the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue enjoy cycling,” she said.
“这种自行车在荷兰是非常有需求的。每年，老年人受伤数量众多。而它将有助于降低老年受伤人数，并使他们依旧能够享受自行车骑行的乐趣。”
In the Netherlands, bicycles outnumber the population of 17 million by at least one million and there are some 25,000 kms of bicycle path in the country.
荷兰的人口数量为1700万，而自行车数量比人口数量多出至少一百万。荷兰国内的自行车车道总长大约有两万五千米。
Those statistics are set to grow as more and more people take to two-wheeled transport, leading to congestion and an increased risk of injury.
随着越来越多的人骑行自行车，自行车数量也将不断增长。而越多人骑自行车，也就增加了交通阻塞和人员受伤的风险。
Last year, 184 cyclists died in the country, of which 124, or 67.0 percent, were older than 65, according to the Centrals Statistics Office (CBS). The year before, 200 cyclists died, the overwhelming majority of victims also being elderly.
根据荷兰中央统计办公室（the Centrals Statistics Office）的数据显示：去年，荷兰有184位骑自行车者死亡，而其中124人（占67%）是超过65岁的老年人。前年死亡人数为200位，其中绝大多数也是老年人。
The current prototype weighs a hefty 25 kilogrammes (55 pounds) but researchers are working on making the on-board systems smaller.
目前这种标准自行车重达25千克（55磅），研究人员正在努力把机载系统做得更小。