There have been some exciting new innovations in motorcycle safety in recent years. Most notable are airbags, high-tech helmets, intelligent lights and antilock brakes. 

1. Airbags

Honda introduced the first motorcycle airbag system in 2006. Great innovations are coming from the makers of motorcycle suits and helmets rather than the motorcycle companies themselves. The first airbag suit and jacket hit the market in 2008. This was made by RS Taichi, a Japanese manufacturer. Both the suit and the jacket are made to attach to the bike with a wire. When the wire becomes detached due to a collision, the neck inflates to help stabilize the bones in the neck.

2. High-Tech Helmets

Another recent innovation in motorcycle safety is high-tech helmets. Helmet manufacturers are also implementing airbags. APC Systems in Barcelona introduced the first airbag helmet in 2008. The airbags inflate after speed sensors deem a crash imminent, protecting the rider’s neck and upper spine.

Helmet manufacturers are also experimenting with the idea of a “brain-cooling” helmet. Introduced in 2010, ThermaHelm® contains a chemical packet that activates after a crash to cool the rider’s head and reduce brain swelling.

3. Intelligent Lights

Intelligent lights may be even more important on a motorcycle than in a conventional vehicle. These adaptive lights can show you what’s coming around the next bend. In 2011, BMW introduced adaptive lighting for their motorcycles that tilt according to the bike’s lean.

Brake lights are especially important for motorcyclists. Riders don’t typically have to apply the brakes to slow down. Resulting in a disadvantage in warning travelers behind them. Additionally, a company out of San Diego is currently raising funds to development brake lights that will light up when the rider slows down, whether or not they apply the brakes.

4. Anti-Lock Brakes

Previous anti-lock brake systems were based off of passenger car technology. In 2010, Bosch announced the first ABS designed for motorcycles. This new system will be adaptive to various sizes of motorcycles since they are smaller and lighter.

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Vehicle safety technology has improved greatly in recent years. Rear mounted radar alerts you of unseen objects immediately behind you. Automatic high-beam control will illuminate and dim your headlights for you. Automatic braking systems can react quicker than your reflexes in the event of a sudden traffic stop. But nothing compares to the next generation of vehicle safety technology: vehicle to vehicle communication.

Vehicle to vehicle communication has the potential to reduce the severity of up to 80% of collisions that don’t involve drugs or alcohol. V2V communication is just what it sounds like. It enables cars to transmit their speed, direction, location and other vital information 10 times per second. This means that your vehicle will be able to detect when another is about to run a stop sign, red light, change lanes or even come around a blind turn. It holds the potential to reduce traffic deaths dramatically—more than any other innovation in driving to date.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says that, “V2V will provide 360-degree situational awareness on the road.” The Federal Highway Administration is getting in on this technology, too. They plan to issue guidance that will help transportation planners integrate two-way wireless technology into highway infrastructure. This would include stops signs, traffic lights and work zones. For example, it would communicate to a traffic light to stay green to reduce congestion.

If this new vehicle to vehicle communication proposal goes through, 50% of new vehicles will have this technology within two years of the final ruling, and 100% within four years. With the onset of this new technology, we can expect that there will be new devices created to integrate V2V into older vehicles as well.

Call Carstruction if you want to know more.

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