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Tech Air

Alpinestars Malaysia has taken rider safety to a whole new level with the launch of their highly anticipated Tech-Air Airbag System in the country.

  • This revolutionary airbag system aims to significantly reduce upper body injuries for motorcycle riders.
  • Sinar Puncak is the authorised distributor for Alpinestars range of products in Malaysia.

The highlight of the Tech-Air family is undoubtedly the Tech-Air 10, offering the broadest protection of any airbag system currently available on the market. With its comprehensive coverage of the shoulders, chest, hips, and full back, Tech-Air 10 is a race-oriented airbag designed for MotoGP class riders.

The system is equipped with 12 sensors, including accelerometers and gyroscopes, ensuring rapid and precise deployment in case of an accident. Priced at RM 4,899 and available in sizes M to 2XL, Tech-Air 10 is simple to use – riders need only zip up the front and fasten the internal belt to activate the airbag system.

For those seeking a versatile airbag solution, the Tech-Air 5 fits the bill perfectly. Priced at RM2,999 and available in sizes S to 2XL, Tech-Air 5 features an active electronics system with 6 integrated sensors, employing AI-powered accident detection algorithms to deploy the airbag when necessary.

Offering comprehensive protection for shoulders, chest, ribs, and full back, Tech-Air 5 is ideal for touring, urban commuting, and racing, with two selectable modes – RACE and STREET.

Meanwhile, the Tech-Air 3 serves as a street-oriented over-jacket airbag system, designed to be worn over or under a rider’s jacket. With its automatic activation and connectivity to the motorcycle’s battery through internal magnets, Tech-Air 3 ensures seamless protection for urban commutes and adventurous rides on the road. Priced at RM2,299 (size S to 2XL), Tech-Air 3 combines lightweight and slim-fit design with CE certification level 2 for both the chest and back when the airbag is fully inflated.

Alpinestars’ Tech-Air family comes equipped with built-in Bluetooth connectivity, enabling riders to monitor operational and battery status, as well as detailed ride maps, directly from the Tech-Air app on their smartphones. Tech-Air 5 and Tech-Air 10 offer dual riding modes – RACE and STREET – with distinct crash detection algorithms for track and road use, depending on the selected mode.

To reinforce their commitment to rider safety, Alpinestars Malaysia is offering an exclusive promotion for Tech-Air 10 and Tech-Air 5 purchases. Every buyer will receive 1 year of Allianz Bike Warrior coverage up to RM20,000, providing additional peace of mind on the road.

Customers can service their Alpinestars Tech-Air Airbag System after each deployment through certified technicians from Sinar Puncak Sdn Bhd, ensuring the system is in top condition for continued protection. It is important to note that Tech-Air service is not available at the fulfillment center.

With the introduction of the Tech-Air Airbag System in Malaysia, Alpinestars has once again solidified its position as a leader in rider protection, raising the bar for safety standards in the motorcycle industry. Motorcycle enthusiasts across the country can now experience the latest technological advancements in rider safety with the Alpinestars Tech-Air Airbag System.

  • It was airbag technology that saved Andrea Dovizioso and Fabio Quartararo when they crashed heavily at the start of the British MotoGP.

  • Alpinestars had released the Tech-Air data.

  • This type of crash would’ve resulted in permanent injuries many years ago.

It was the airbag technology that saved Andrea Dovizioso and Fabio Quartararo when they crashed heavily at the start of the British MotoGP.

Alpinestars had released the Tech-Air airbag data.

Quartararo’s airbag inflated completely within 0.060 second while he was flying in the air before his landing and absorbed the shock. It was also scary to see that his crash lasted 4.7 second. That’s an eternity in an accident.

Dovizioso’s suit data showed why he came away more banged up. The Italian’s airbag inflated completely within 0.145 second. It took longer because he was flying higher in the air.

Compare how Quartararo took one big impact to Dovizioso’s multiple impacts. Remember, it’s not how you crash but how you stop that causes the seriousness of the damage.

The Alpinestars Tech-Air system works on a complex algorithm which determines the best duration and type of inflation based on data from gyroscopes spread around the suit.

For example, a lowside crash results in the suit inflating the first stage. The rider could get back on his bike and continue as the bag will deflate itself later.

In the event of a heavier crash like this one, the algorithm fires the airbag completely.

We’re all thankful that both riders walked away without more serious injury. This type of crash would’ve resulted in permanent injuries before the advent of the airbag equipped racesuit.

We only wish the technology was more affordable to road riders.

Ves Tech-Air Alpinestars – Sumber imej: Alpinestars
  • Alpinestars telah mengeluarkan jawapan mereka mengenai kes Mahkamah Rayuan Munich.
  • Mahkamah berkenaan telah membuat keputusan yang memihak dengan Dainese.
  • Alpinestars tetap dengan pendirian bahawa mereka tidak mencabuli hak paten Dainese.

(more…)

  • Alpinestars published their response to the Munich Court of Appeals’ case.

  • The court sided with Dainese in their ruling.

  • Alpinestars maintains that they did not infringe on Dainese’s patents.

Alpinestars (A-Star) published their response to the recent German court decision with regards to a patent infringement case involving fellow Italian gear maker Dainese.

The decision by the Munich Court of Appeals will cause a huge effect to A-Stars’ Tech-Air airbag vests in the German market. In siding with Dainese, the court has issued an injunction against selling the product in the country. In addition to having their products pulled from the shelves, A-Stars also need to pay a huge sum in damages.

A-Stars is challenging Dainese’s charge that the they infringed on the latter’s patents. Judging from the wordings and language in the Press Release, the fight is not over. It’s going to be the Clash of Italian Titans.

The focal point of the contention is how the airbag vest is held in a garment.

Alpinestars’ Press Release

On February 7, 2019 the Higher Regional Court of Munich issued judgment upholding the claim that Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® vest infringes upon patent EP 2 412 257 B1 held by Dainese S.p.A.

Alpinestars wants to clarify that this action never involved the core of Alpinestars Tech-Air® technology; at no point, either past or present, has any action or patent infringement involved the electronic management, algorithm, or deployment mechanism, or any other part employed within Alpinestars entirely unique and advanced Tech-Air® technology.

Furthermore this judgment is limited to the territory of Germany only. It has no bearing on any other territories within Europe or the wider world market where Tech-Air® is available throughout Alpinestars’ Dealer network.

Originally Dainese alleged infringements based on three patents in Germany, none of them refer to Tech-Air® technology: one complaint was withdrawn by Dainese on 22nd December 2016, relating to patent EP 2 373 188, after this patent was revoked by the European Patent Office. The remaining two patents have been contested in Germany. The second, EP 2 373 190, concerning only some specific features of the air bladder used in the Tech-Air® vest, was wholly annulled by the German Federal Patent Court on 15 May 2018. Dainese appealed this decision.

The third, EP 2 412 257 B1, concerning the general installation of an inflatable air bladder construction within a ‘pocket’ of a garment, featuring elastic panels, is the point on which the patent infringement claim was upheld last week. As soon as the Court serves the written judgment, Alpinestars will study the details prior to taking any decision on its next steps.

Alpinestars needs to point out that it has an appeal pending on the validity of this patent (EP 2 412 257 B1) within the German Federal Court of Justice.

As consistently stated throughout this legal process, Alpinestars fully respects and honors third parties’ intellectual property rights and expects the same with respect to its own IP rights. Alpinestars’ highly innovative Tech-Air® products are based upon years of its in house research and development conducted by its own team of leading research and development staff.

Since the very beginning of the Tech-Air® project, which commenced in 2001, the freedom to ride with the most advanced innovations of performance protection has been the objective relentlessly pursued by Alpinestars and the result is uniquely advanced and capable technology. Tech-Air® is the world’s first airbag providing full upper torso protection in a transferable vest which incorporates a completely independent electronic management system, with no reliance on any external devices (sensors or GPS), to give accident detection and full airbag inflation before the first impact, dual charge for the track and off-road capability as demonstrated in the 2019 Dakar Rally.

Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® products represent an enormously innovative contribution to increased rider safety in motorcycling.

The MotoGP 2018 season will see all permanent riders wearing an airbag racing suit if they wish to compete in the race categories.

All racing suits must be fitted with an airbag system that will provide protection for the shoulders and collarbone.

This is a good move considering the manufacturers will invest more on airbag system which in turn will be made more available for consumers.

A very interesting update has just been confirmed by the folks over at MotoGP where beginning of the 2018 season, all riders must wear a racing suit equipped with airbag systems. The rule applies to each and every rider across all three categories (MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3) except for wildcard riders. (more…)

 

  • Alpinestars Tech-Air telah diberi kehormatan dengan anugerah dalam kategori ‘Wearables’ pada Anugerah Inovasi Asia di Pertunjukan Elektronik Pengguna (Consumer Electronics Show) pada tahun ini.
  • Pakar kelengkapan menunggang motosikal itu merupakan calon pendahulu untuk anugerah itu di Shanghai, China pada minggu lalu di mana mereka memenanginya untuk produk inovatif mereka.
  • Terdapat dua versi yang berbeza untuk sistem Tech-Air™ mereka itu; Tech-Air™ Street yang dikeluarkan pada tahun 2014 dan Tech-Air™ Race pada tahun 2016.

(more…)

Alpinestars Tech-Air has been honoured with an award for best ‘Wearables’ category in this year’s Consumer Electronics Show Asia Innovations Awards.

The motorcycle riding gear expert was the best nominee for the award in Shanghai, China last week where they came out on top for their innovative product.

There are two distinct versions of the Tech-Air™ systems; Tech-Air™ Street which was released back in 2014 and Tech-Air™ Race in 2016.

One of the pioneers of active airbag technology for motorcycle racing suits and safety gear has been awarded at the Consumer Electronics Show Asia Innovations Awards earlier this week. The award was given to Alpinestars in Shanghai, China for the best nominee in the ‘Wearable’ category for their Tech-Air™ active airbag system. (more…)

Alpinestars announces Sinar Puncak Sdn Bhd as new authorised Malaysian distributor.

(more…)

The Alpinestars vs Dainese legal saga over their respective airbag technologies continues further now with Dainese speaking out about the situation. Though Alpinestars’ response did clear up a few things, this new response from the devil-horn brand has shed even more light into the situation.

dainese-d-air-armor-platform-04

In its response, Dainese insists that legal action was taken in Germany, resulting in a Munich court granting an injunction on Alpinestars selling its Tech Air-equipped product in the German market. Dainese further highlighted that legal action is presently being processed in Italy.

alpinestars-tech-air

This counters Alpinestars’ initial response where it stated that no legal action was taken against it in Germany. However, it appears that the clarification about the patent infringement lawsuit being centred on the physical material used to produce the inflatable airbags in both the Alpinestars Tech Air and Dainese D-Air Armor remains true.

Either way, the outcome of the Alpinestars vs Dainese saga will have global repercussions on several levels indeed. Lets not forget that both brands have top-level riders in both MotoGP and WSBK donning their products, and the outcome of this battle may lead to just one side winning the rights to produce airbag-equipped riding apparels.

You can read Dainese’s response here to get where the devil horn brand is coming from in this entire affair.

Source: Asphaltandrubber

Loyal readers would remember our Alpinestars vs Dainese report we published some time last week. Just to recap, the two Italian riding apparels brands are embroiled in a legal battle of their respective airbag technologies, in which case being the Alpinestars Tech Air and Dainese D-Air Armour.

In light of the battle being reported online by a trusted source, the famed A-star brand has issued an official response to the matter, revealing the true nature of the legal battle in the process as well.

alpinestars-tech-air

The first thing made clear in Alpinestars’ statement is the fact that the infringement suit it filed for its Tech Air airbag technology patent actual concerns the material of the airbag itself and not the computer algorithm deployment during crash detection as previously reported.

To put it simply, Alpinestars is claiming that Dainese is using a similar physical material for the airbag in the latter’s D-Air suite as the ones used in the former’s rivalling Tech Air system. The consequence of this saw retailers pulling out Tech Air-equipped Alpinestars apparels and products in core markets around Europe such as Germany.

dainese-d-air-armor-platform-04

Dainese has not responded to Alpinestars’ allegations, but it is worth noting again that the rivalling devil-horn brand were the most proactive amongst the two at introducing the airbag protection technology into the mass market. In fact, Dainese have even gone to the extent of licensing its D-Air Armor technology to other brands as well.

We’ll have more as soon as the matter evolves over time, to which we expect to last quite some time indeed. In the meantime, you can read the official statement released by Alpinestars below.

Alpinestars Tech-Air Street Airbag system – Statement regarding press coverage of Patent Challenge

With reference to recent articles published about Alpinestars and Dainese being in dispute over airbag technology, Alpinestars is issuing the following statement to clarify the current situation:

Alpinestars has been subjected to an allegation of patent infringement by Dainese on a specific part of its airbag construction used in the Tech-Air Street system.

The Alpinestars’ Tech-Air Street system was launched in November 2014 as the world’s first self-contained street airbag system that independently functions without the need for sensors to be installed on the bike and the subsequent need to link a specific motorcycle to the airbag system used by the rider.

The allegations made by Dainese S.p.A in proceedings launched in Italy against Alpinestars, refer to the assembly of the bag itself, the physical material piece that contains the gas in an inflation and not with any reference to any other parts or Alpinestars’ Tech-Air street system’s use of an algorithm for registering when the airbag deployment should occur.

Dainese instead make claims that the physical construction of the bag in the Tech-Air system infringes upon Dainese’s patents.

In Germany, Dainese did make a direct request to certain retailers, that they cease and desist from offering for sale the Alpinestars Tech-Air Street system, however, no legal action has been taken against Alpinestars and neither has Alpinestars withdrawn any of its products from the German market.

All claims made by Dainese against Alpinestars and/or its retailers are disputed and Alpinestars is taking the appropriate legal measures to ensure that any such unfounded allegations will not prevent distribution and sales of the Tech-Air Street system.

Given Alpinestars’ own research & development has been undertaken through Alpinestars’ in-house Advanced Technology Department since 2001, Alpinestars is contesting the allegations made. The Tech-Air Street system is based on Alpinestars’ technology creation and the physical bag used in the Tech-Air Street system is from known airbag technology, used within the Automotive industry and does not infringe upon third parties’ intellectual property rights.

Alpinestars continues to distribute Tech-Air technology for the benefit of all motorcyclists throughout Europe and the rest of the world and trusts that the allegations made will be proven to have no basis through appropriate legal jurisdiction.

Source: Alpinestars via Asphaltandrubber

Two of motorcycling’s biggest and leading apparels brands are tangled in a legal battle over a groundbreaking piece of safety technology. The two are none other than Alpinestars and Dainese, and the tech in question are their respective Tech Air and D-Air airbag technologies. (more…)

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