Skip to main content

Motorcyclists will soon benefit from same driving aids already found in many cars

Engineering and electronics company Bosch believes motorcycle riders should benefit from the electronic safety advances that have been available in cars for years. At CES 2019, the company showcased radar-based technology that keeps riders safe out on the open road.

Recommended Videos

Putting radar that scopes out the road on each end of a motorcycle lets engineers add adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision warning to a motorcycle. These driving aids are available on dozens of new cars from all over the automotive spectrum, but as of 2019, they’re out of the reach of motorcycle riders.

More CES 2019 coverage

The technology will work in the same manner regardless of whether it’s fitted to a car or to a motorcycle. Adaptive cruise control automatically slows down or speeds up the bike depending on traffic conditions, blind spot monitoring warns the rider if a vehicle — whether it’s a car or another motorcycle — is in his or her blind spot, and forward collision warning emits visual and audible alerts if it detects a collision is imminent. It’s interesting to note that the system will not brake the bike automatically; avoiding the collision remains the rider’s responsibility.

The Bosch booth at CES 2019 featured a Ducati Multistrada fitted with Bosch’s radar. The company told Digital Trends the bike is a concept built to demonstrate the technology, and added that the sensors will be better integrated into the bodywork when the features reach production. Like car companies, motorcycle brands will need to find an elegant, non-intrusive way to integrate a growing number of radars into their designs.

“The motorcycle of the future must be able to see and feel,” said Geoff Liersch, the head of Bosch’s two-wheeler and powersports division, in a statement.

Bosch’s suite of electronic driving aids for motorcycles will reach production in 2020. The company is working with Ducati and KTM, two well-known two-wheeler manufacturers, but it’s not ready to reveal which make or model will become the first to get the tech. Researchers at Bosch have also developed jet thrusters that push a motorcycle out of a slide, but that technology is a little bit further away from production.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
8 key things you need to know from Apple’s WWDC 2025 event
From a fresh look and updated names, to new features, more intelligence and live translation
iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 shown on devices.

The WWDC 2025 keynote ran for just over an hour and a half. For those of you who don't fancy sitting through the whole presentation, we've pulled out the key things you need to know from the latest Apple event.

1. Welcome to the 26 club

Read more
Tesla’s robotaxi service is almost here, but it’s not the car you want to see
Silver Tesla Model Y Juniper side

Tesla chief Elon Musk has said that the automaker is aiming to launch its robotaxi service on June 22, in Austin, Texas.

“Tentatively, June 22,” Musk said in a post on X on Tuesday, adding: “We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift.”

Read more
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more