Bikesrepublic

Future Suzuki Models May Be More Visible to Radar

  • Suzuki may fit more radar reflectors on their future models.

  • It makes the bike more visible to radars on autonomous vehicles.

  • Ducati and KTM are working on fitting radar to their bikes.

Do you know that autonomous cars are already in the market now? That’s why Suzuki wants their future motorcycles to be more visible to radar, reports Australian Motorcycle News.

An “autonomous car” means it “self-drives.” It drives without the driver touching the steering wheel and brake pedal. As in the case of a Volvo XC70 we rode in, the car identifies the road and other vehicles. It automatically steered through long corners and slowed down or brake when there is another vehicle in front.

However, motorcycles provide the biggest challenge. Bikes have much smaller cross sections and are much nimbler than your average family car. Consequently, the radars fitted to autonomous cars may find motorcycles harder to pick up.

This is why Suzuki wants to fit more radar reflectors on their bikes. It’s the opposite of stealth fighter jets that work on the principle of deflecting and/or absorbing radar waves. (Doesn’t sound good for speeders, though.)

These deflectors are something like “stick on” solutions, instead of being powered.

Suzuki isn’t the only manufacturer working on radar solutions. Ducati promised a radar-equipped model in 2020, while KTM is also working on one. Vehicle electronics component maker Bosch is reportedly working on an “off-the-shelve” solution for front and rear radar system.

Source: Australian Motorcycle News

Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. He has since worked in the motorcycle and automotive industry for many years, before taking up riding courses and testing many, many motorcycles since becoming a motojournalist. Wahid likes to see things differently. What can you say about a guy who sees a road safety message in AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

Related Articles

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube