The Connected Motorcycle Consortium Conference 2017 has begun at BMW Welt in Munich. It’s an effort set up last year by BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha to promote intelligent connected safety systems with common standards for all motorcycle makers to use. And there are various machines displaying progress so far. For example, this BMW R 1200 RS ConnectedRide Prototype promises safer motorcycling in the future.
The idea of Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) means dealing with a lot of technical abbreviations for a relatively simple concept. Use technology to help warn riders and avoid collisions. And by making it a cross-manufacturer idea, it means prototypes based on a Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin and a Yamaha Tracer 900 were also on show, using the same common architecture.
Getting all bike firms to work together means the tech will get developed faster, more data will be acquired, and the basics of the systems will be familiar whichever make and model you ride.
The cutaway shots and open panniers show that the side cases are full of electronics. The reason is that the BMW R 1200 RS ConnectedRide Prototype starts with a crossing and left-turn assistant. But then also has a wide range of further systems to help safety.
For example, how many avoidable motorcycle accidents involve a car pulling out on you? The C-ITS system on the BMW doesn’t just warn you if another traffic user might be about to disregard the right of way. It’ll also warn the dozy car driver by using a Vehicle to Vehicle Communication (V2V) system, and a highly accurate and precise localisation tool via D-GNSS. Which apparently stands for the Differential-Global Navigation Satellite System.
If more car drivers can be alerted when they’re going to potentially cause accidents, it’ll be good for everyone. And obviously firms like BMW and Honda are in a good position to influence the future technology on both two and four wheels.
As a prototype, obviously the luggage space has had to be sacrificed to carry the required electronics. But it’ll soon come down in size and price as technology always does.
With that many serial ports, the BMW R 1200 RS ConnectedRide Prototype can probably also run a printer and fax machine. But it’s already clear how much space can be reduced in the future. And if it means less chance of cars ignoring the right of way and causing accidents, then most of us would probably accept a little more weight and less luggage space.
And it’s nice to see all the major motorcycle manufacturers and organisations coming together. The CMC Conference 2017 saw speeches and information from the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, the European Automotive Manufacturers’ Association and the European Motorcycle Manufacturers’ Association.
New CMC President Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller, Head of Development BMW Motorrad. “Our aim is to promote the comprehensive use of cooperative safety systems for motorcycles at an early stage in order to exploit their potential for increasing safety as well as riding pleasure. This is why we are inviting other companies to join in.”
But what do you think? Would you be more likely to buy a motorcycle with this kind of system in place? Do you think it will reduce accidents?
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