Honda patents the bike that counter-steers by itself

 Honda patents the bike that counter-steers by itself

The Tokyo company has filed the drawings of a driving aid system that intervenes autonomously on the steering

Driving assistance systems are now cleared in the four-wheel world. In recent years, rapid progress has been made, so much that a car that drives (almost) alone is no longer surprising. The bikes are one step behind, still leaving much of the driving maneuvers to the rider. They are behind but not standing still. With the recently introduced radar technology, motorcycles are also moving towards autonomous driving.

Some two-wheeled autonomous driving prototypes have been engineered that have never materialized into series products over the years. Honda is ready to try again. Behind the voluminous tonnage of the Gold Wind represented in the drawings hides the device that resembles an electronic steering damper in its shape. The steering dampers, in use today, have the purpose of dampening too abrupt reactions transmitted to the handlebars. The degree of intervention can also be managed electronically based on the extent of the solicitation.

The device that is the subject of the patent is a servomechanism that uses referrals to apply torque to the steering when a dangerous driving condition occurs. During regular use, the mechanism does not resist, leaving the handlebar free to rotate. Unlike the devices currently in use, the one presented by Honda acts actively. The control unit, conceivably in communication with the various sensors of the traction control, ABS, and IMU, activates the system, which, acting on the steering, counteracts any loss of grip. An exciting development would be the integration with the radar, which, being able to identify obstacles like other vehicles, would raise the level of autonomous driving.