Designing the new Cardo BEYOND smart helmet | KISKA x Cardo

The smarter smart helmet.

Cardo | BEYOND | Brand Boost

Cardo already owned the “tech in your helmet” space. For years, riders have been snapping their systems onto helmets from other brands. But Cardo wanted to be MORE than an add-on. They wanted to enter the helmet market themselves at EICMA 2025.

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Research
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Experience Design
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Engineering & Prototyping

A challenging ambition for Cardo.

To move from being an aftermarket tech supplier to a credible manufacturer.

Tech, protection, and identity.

We created a sports touring helmet with built-in comms and a new design identity.

Expanding beyond aftermarket.

The result is a brand-strengthening entry to the helmet and protection industry.

Helmets are the MOST personal purchase.

They’re one of the first piece of gear any rider buys. A choice built on brand, on safety, comfort, and self-expression. And the market is stacked with big names with decades of trust.

So why did Cardo, a company famous for motorcycle communication systems, decide to throw a helmet into the mix?

There was a massive opportunity.

Because the rules are changing. Riders are used to buying a helmet, then adding third-party speakers and mics. A process which can be…fiddly. Cardo saw an opportunity to flip the script: combine their expertise with a protective shell and offer a fully connected experience right off the shelf.

But there was a catch…

In a category built on safety and trust, credibility matters. A great sound system isn’t enough. If the helmet looks like a gimmick, riders won’t touch it. Cardo needed to come out strong. Not with a novelty – but a product that could earn its place next to long-established competitors.

So, the CARDO BEYOND was created.

A sport-touring helmet with top-tier protection, comfort, and the most intuitive human–machine interface we could imagine. The goal wasn’t to create something space-age or polarising, but a refined, versatile helmet that worked for different types of riders while also laying the foundation for Cardo’s design identity in helmets.

That meant asking : what functions actually matter in a helmet?

As riders, we know the answer isn’t “everything.” It was boiled down to essentials: calls, music, volume, GPS, comms, pause, mute. Simple. Usable. Once those foundations were set, new features were built in that added genuine value, like active noise cancelling to make earplugs redundant, and an integrated brake light for visibility.

Designing the shell itself was just as critical.

We created a helmet that felt approachable and wearable with different riding styles. Rounded volumes and subtle details gave it that versatility. But to ensure the helmet carried a Cardo design language, a circular plateau was introduced around the visor pivot. At first glance it reads as a subtle design signature, but its real purpose is practical: the controls are clustered and easy to use, even with gloves on.

Motorcycle HMI isn’t something new for us. CHECK OUT THE KTM DASHBOARD PROJECT.

But support didn’t stop at shaping the helmet.

Designing the interface, refining gesture, and ensuring the features could be used without distraction was key. The gap was bridged between design intent and engineering constraints, ensuring that BEYOND was more than “tech stuffed into a helmet”. It became a cohesive, user-first product that delivers on safety, comfort, and connection in equal measure.

A credible leap.

For Cardo, BEYOND marks a sincere entry into a crowded, high-stakes market at EICMA 2025. For riders, it’s the first time you can buy a helmet that protects you, reflects your style, and keeps you connected…without compromise.

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