The evolution is advancing and Honda, which has always been very committed to developing new systems for motorcycle safety, recently presented a very interesting patent application. The first one is aimed at countering side wind; we know how uncomfortable this can be and, if excessively strong, also very dangerous.
To provide this type of driving assistance, Honda has imagined designing a device that is halfway between power steering and a rotating steering damper. A “two in one” that has not yet been seen on a motorcycle and should ensure an immediate response when a situation occurs that “displaces” the motorcycle due to a strong gust of side wind. The system involves an actuator fixed behind the steering head and connected to the steering plate; the rest will have to be handled by the electronic system which, upon detecting the abnormal movement, will act to counter it. All this thanks to the electronic control unit which receives information about speed, acceleration, steering angle, radar, and even a camera in order to understand the intentions of the motorcycle and the rider.
Interestingly, to do this, the computer divides the roadway into several narrow “virtual lanes”, represented by dashed lines in the patent drawings, and tries to keep the motorcycle within one of these lanes.
The other idea that gave rise to the patent application is a vibrating handlebar grips system. The goal is to provide an alert when necessary; it will be activated when inadvertently crossing the lane and can also provide a warning if there is a vehicle in a blind spot. A system similar to what we have already seen in cars that offer a “tactile” warning to the driver through the steering wheel.
