Image Source: Auto World
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas featured a lot futuristic technology. Some things like what WeCheer.io is calling world’s first smart bottle opener are worth forgetting. Others like BMW’s R1200 Ghost Motorcycle are pretty awesome.
At CES 2019, BMW engineer Stefan Hans freaked out crowds when he stepped off his R1200, gave it a gentle nudge, and the bike careened off, on its own to complete a small circuit around the parking lot.
A neat parlor trick for sure, but could the autonomous motorcycle have a functional use?
BMW sure thinks so. The company designed the autonomous motorcycle to experiment with stability. Motorcycles are particularly less stable than cars. Two wheels makes balancing a bike much harder than a four wheeled car. A semi-autonomous bike with enhanced stability helps not only inexperienced riders but also pros should they hit a massive oil slick, patch of ice, or other unexpected obstacle.
BMW hopes its autonomous motorcycle project will lead to faster and more nimble vehicles that can manage massive g-forces while still retaining safety and stability. The idea being that one day riders will enjoy absolutely thrilling maneuvers without ever having to worry about their safety.
To help make their motorcycles even more maneuverable, BMW has been experimenting with printing their frames using 3D printers. These techniques combined with materials like high end carbon fiber are finding their way into BMW Motorrad (motorcycle) HP4 race bikes.The company is also using laser beams on their racers’ helmets.
Source: Extreme Tech