Linear mappings preserving ρ-orthogonality

We define a ρ-orthogonality in a real normed space and we consider the class of linear mappings preserving this relation. We show that a linear mapping preserving ρ-orthogonality has to be a similarity, i.e., a scalar multiple of an isometry. As a result, we give a characterization of smooth spaces in terms of this orthogonality.