https://360.here.com/cars-arent-the-only-ones-becoming-autonomous-its-motorbikes-too
When you think of autonomous vehicles, what comes to mind? Cars and trucks? Perhaps even public transport options like buses and trains?
It’s these vehicles that have dominated the news around the changing mobility landscape around the world, and yet there’s a time-tested way of getting around that often goes overlooked in these discussions: motorbikes.
But motorcycles and scooters aren’t getting left behind in the oncoming transport revolution. Companies and researchers around the world are exploring the ways in which new technologies can improve motorbikes, and the advantages aren’t just for riders, but for everyone they share the road with.
The move toward making motorcycles and scooters “smarter” is similar to the way Advanced Driver Assistance Systems have evolved in cars over the course of decades. But whereas drivers have benefited from features such as lane departure warnings and intelligent parking, riders require a different set of tools to make their journeys safer.
On the horizon
Yamaha’s Motoroid concept bike takes steps in this direction. Self-balancing technology makes travel easier for a rider by letting them focus on turning and gear shifting without having to worry about their stability, while cameras and an artificial intelligence system can recognise gestures from other riders on the road and factor this information into movement decisions.
Motoroid is far from being a self-driving motorbike, but such an idea isn’t too far off either. At CES 2019 in Las Vegas, BMW Motorrad demoed a prototype of a riderless motorbike from their R 1200 GS series, which has the ability to start, steer, spin, speed, slow and stop — all by itself.
Don't expect to see this particular model at your local BMW dealership in the future, as there are no plans for this autonomous test vehicle to make it to the consumer market. It was developed to help provide valuable data insights into riding dynamics for human riders, as well as to ensure motorcycles are an integral part of the ongoing conversation regarding the future of mobility and the autonomous world.)
Relatedly, researchers at MIT have been testing an autonomous tricycle built for the transport of people and goods. The Persuasive Electric Vehicle, as it’s called, can be summoned like an Uber and used to move a passenger or package from A to B, all without needing a human driver or courier. And while these tasks could also be achieved by an autonomous car or truck, the PEV may be preferable due to it sharing the advantages of motorbikes – their compact form, maneuverability and speed, all of which can help ease congestion.
