The 2026 Taiwan InnoTech Expo (TIE), a major showcase of innovative technologies, officially opened today (September 17) at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1. The Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Ministry of Economic Affairs, has brought together more than 13 research organizations and industry partners to present 64 innovative technologies at the Innovation Economy Pavilion. Among the featured technologies is the “Smart Electric-Assisted Bicycle,” developed with support from DoIT and the Bicycle Industry Development Center. Equipped with AI-based road perception capabilities, the bicycle can identify road conditions, pedestrians, and vehicles ahead, and automatically adjust the level of electric assistance and suspension settings according to the surrounding conditions, enhancing both riding safety and comfort and demonstrating Taiwan’s innovation in the development of smart bicycles.

Deputy Director-General Chou Chung-Ping of the Department of Industrial Technology stated that TIE serves as a platform for showcasing Taiwan’s R&D capabilities. Each year, DoIT selects outstanding R&D achievements from its technology development programs, providing opportunities for research teams to engage directly with industry and foster collaboration between research institutions and businesses. This year’s exhibits cover a wide range of fields, including semiconductors, smart manufacturing, precision health, net-zero sustainability, and cross-domain emerging technologies. These innovations demonstrate practical applications that can be adopted by industry, accelerating the transition from R&D to the marketplace and strengthening the competitiveness of Taiwan’s industries.

As bicycles continue to evolve toward electrification and smart technologies, enabling vehicles to perceive road conditions in real time and respond appropriately has become an important direction for product development. Supported by DoIT, the Bicycle Industry Development Center has developed the “Smart Electric-Assisted Bicycle,” which is equipped with what can be described as a pair of AI eyes for bicycles. Through image recognition technology, it detects road conditions, pedestrians, and vehicles ahead, and automatically adjusts electric assistance and suspension settings according to the riding environment. This technology takes bicycles beyond simply providing power assistance and moves toward a new era of intelligent riding.

With support from the Department of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Cycling and Health Tech Industry R&D Center(CHC) developed a “Smart Electric-Assisted Bicycle” that uses AI-based image recognition to detect road conditions ahead and automatically adjust the level of electric assistance and suspension settings, enhancing riding safety and comfort. From left: Hank Chen, Manager, CHC; Li-Wei Chen, Project Director, the Innovative Technology Program, Department of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economic Affairs; Chung-Ping Chou, Deputy Director-General, the Department of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economic Affairs; and Alex Lee, General Manager, CHC.