Motorcycle Crash Prevention Tech Promises Riders And Drivers A Sixth Sense For Safety

The Internet of Things has connected seemingly everything around the house, from refrigerators to toilets, but wireless technology may have an even more important use case outside the home — protecting drivers. Impacts with other vehicles can be especially devastating to motorcycle drivers, and Ducati has developed a specific type of Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication that may go a long way toward reducing the number of accidents. Ducati is part of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), an international association of leading manufacturers of two-wheeled vehicles that was founded in 2016, which aims to improve motorcyclist safety by using digital, connective technology.

Ducati recently unveiled its prototype, which consists of a system of algorithms that react to certain situations involving two different vehicles that may possibly collide. An additional display can provide either the car driver or motorcyclist with warning signals, depending on the situation, increasing awareness of imminent impacts. Ducati worked with a number of other companies to develop the prototype, including Bertrandt and Nfiniity, who worked on the hardware and software, respectively. Ducati also worked with car manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini, which supplied one of its luxury SUVs — the Lamborghini Urus — to test and demonstrate the V2V technology in simulations of three distinct accident cases.

The Lamborghini Urus was used to test the prototype preventive tech with a Ducati Multistrada, focusing on three of the most critical and dangerous types of motorcycle accidents. In these use cases, drivers have limited or obstructed visibility, which severely limits their situational awareness and response time, and they could greatly benefit from a digital, sixth sense provided by the V2V technology.

One case is Intersection Movement Assist (IMA), where a motorcycle and car both approach a busy intersection at the same time, from two different roads. The V2V tech provides the car's driver with a signal that the motorcycle is approaching and advises them to approach with extreme caution. The second case involves Left Turn Assist (LTA), similarly involving two vehicles at an intersection, with the car aiming to turn left. When the driver activates their turn signal, the motorcyclist is immediately given a warning signal.

The third case is Do Not Pass Warning (DNPW), in which a motorcycle looks to overtake a larger vehicle in front of it while a car ahead of it is planning to make a left. When both the motorist and the motorcyclist hit their blinkers ahead of turning, the system sends a warning to the motorcyclist.

While still just a prototype, Ducati's V2V technology has the potential to prevent countless accidents and save many lives. Lamborghini recently unveiled a video, jointly produced with Ducati, that demonstrates the important safety technology. The video is available on Lamborghini's YouTube channel, as well as on the company's website.