Want to feel the wind in your hair but too frightened to get on a two-wheeler? Worry no more as the future has better – and safer – things in store. Honda recently showcased its ‘Riding Assist’ technology at CES 2017 in Las Vegas.
Developed at its Silicon Valley R&D center, the system enables bikes to stand without wobbling or toppling without any human or mechanical support. The tech wonder is unlike what is used in self-balancing hoverboards as it does not make use of complicated gyroscopes and instead, borrows from balancing systems already incorporated in Honda’s Asimo robot.
Reports say the system enables bikes to study falling angles and counteract in the opposite direction. This is done thousands of times each second and therefore, there is no chance of wobbling either. The angles of the front forkes to improve center of gravity are also adjusted for better stability.
While that in itself would pump in courage to the newbie two-wheeler enthusiast, it isn’t the most striking feature.
Honda bikes in the near future may even be able to ride on their own as the company has developed an electronic steer-by-the-wire system. In simplest of terms, this technology would enable the bikes to pass on control of the front wheel to a computer at speeds under three miles an hour. “Accio Honda!”
At speeds above three miles an hour, the separate motors on the handlebar and the form lock together to enable the rider to have full control of a single-piece machine – as seen on regular bikes. And for more control at lower speeds, the two separate motors are perfectly synchronised to allow full human input if desired.
While Honda did grab a lot of eyeballs at CES 2017 for its new technology, you may not want to take out your riding gear just yet as there is no word on when the “Riding Assist’ system will make way onto bikes in the real world.
Source: TOI
Honda showcases self-balancing, self-riding bike at CES 207
