BMW unveils autonomous bike

[SnoBrdr]

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/09/12/ ... cycle.html

[TNTbefree]

Hmmmm. That was weird to watch

[Sidecar Bob]

It will fail in the marketplace for the same reason the Hondamatic did.

BTW: Am I the only one that noticed that it was driving around the track with the sidestand deployed? most obvious at about 30 seconds)

[Sagebrush]

I saw it run a stop sign.

[taunusrainer]

If these bikes weren't SO HORRIBLY UGLY...I live close to the BMW factory and would buy one if there were anything close to a NGW.
Another thing:
Maybe overseas people don't know that here in Germany BMW car drivers have a very bad reputation: Accountants in real life, once in their car they transform to aggressive tailgaters, speeding through small streets where children play while cellphoning.
BMW bikers on the other hand are normally grandpas, wearing the safest BMW suit and the safest BMW helmet, gloves and boots when they do a two mile trip on their GS.

[Sidecar Bob]

That sounds just the same as here.

[delling3]

I don't think that there are plans to introduce this to the market. I believe it is really an exercise in technology development - the next generation of things like ABS and traction control.

[Seb Astian]

"Can intervene in emergency situations". I find it difficult to see how it does that with out the rider falling off. If it suddenly swerves, it'll throw you like a electric bull.

[SnoBrdr]

"Can intervene in emergency situations". I find it difficult to see how it does that with out the rider falling off. If it suddenly swerves, it'll throw you like a electric bull.

Well, I don't think they ever claimed that the rider won't fall off, but the bike will be safe.

[Sidecar Bob]

Unless the sudden change of centre of gravity from the rider falling off upsets its balance too much.

But then again, I'm sure the autonomous bike would enjoy itself more without the rider anyway.

[Rat]

Why would an autonomous bike .... need a rider ?

Gord

[230Rocket]

Gord, more to the point, why would a rider ... need an autonomous bike?

cheers
Dean

[Sidecar Bob]

Exactly.

[Whiskerfish]

I can understand it as an engineering exercise but as a marketable product no.... Of course I said the same about them backwards Trikes we see on the road all the time too!

[Sidecar Bob]

The Polaris Slingshot is pointless (if you want a car get a car) & ugly but the Bombardier Spyder at least makes sense as a road going snowmobile.

As much as I dislike the idea of self driving cars on general principle I understand the appeal: I have 2 daughters and a son in law that are not likely to ever drive their own vehicles. I also commuted on Hwy 404 in Toronto for a few years and even before the advent of cellphones I saw "drivers" shaving, applying makeup, eating and even reading (both newspapers and books) at 100+ Km/h and I'm sure self driving cars would have made them safer to be around.

But I can't imagine anyone sitting on a self driving 2 wheeled motorcycle while absorbed in texting or watching a video on their phone......

Personally, the Motobot makes more sense to me... Now if they can just figure out how to make it grin