Anti-accident radar: what is the new technology that makes motorcycles more visible

Every time the technology of the world of mobility replaces a human action with that made by a machine, there is a breakthrough in precision and even safety. But, at the same time, this advance exempts drivers from this exercise, who are accustomed to being assisted by a computer.

To take it out of the subject and put it into a tangible example for everyone, it is the same thing that happens when you stop doing mathematical calculations by heart or if they are complex, with a pencil and paper, and replaced by a calculator. Mental flexibility atrophies, at least in that respect.

With Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which more and more cars from all segments are starting to bring as standard equipment, something similar happens. Who has the possibility of driving a car that corrects the lane on a route or highway, that raises and lowers the high beams automatically when it senses the presence of a car in front, that indicates with a light when a car is approaching from behind from the sides, or who even recommends making a stop to rest every certain number of continuous kilometers, he will understand perfectly what it is.

Relying on the assistance of the machine stops paying attention and if the machine fails to respond properly, there will be a problem. It has happened to several Tesla car drivers, in some case there was even someone who has moved to the back seat and left the car in Autopilot mode, which is not full autonomous driving, ending in a fatal accident.

It is that technology is still developing, and although it is increasingly accurate, there may still be situations in which Artificial Intelligence, which manages the parameters of assistance, does not have information to solve as a person would.

Motorcycles is a “witness case” of this type of problem. Due to their size, speed and even movement in traffic, not all motorcycles are detected in time to warn the driver of a car of their presence.

So Piaggio, the Italian brand of motorcycles and scooters, understood that a contribution could be made to motorcyclists, and developed, together with the Israeli brand Vayyar, a system to protect them from relaxed or inattentive drivers and machines that don't notice them in time.

The concept is to make motorcycles bigger to be detected in time. Currently, the radar system works by sending a signal and with a cone-shaped field of view, which leaves areas without coverage.

The new Piaggio patent specifies that once the signal is received, the system will amplify it, increasing the size of the motorcycle in order to be detected, but they will also have a greater viewing angle, both vertical and horizontal, which will reach 170 degrees. The devices will be placed in the headlight and rear light, so they will offer almost 360 degrees of coverage. In addition, they ensure that they will have a greater tracking distance than current radars, with a range of 300 meters and that they will have no limit of objects to detect.

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