Interesting New Technology coming

[rwthomas1]

I think we will not own our own vehicles in such a system.

And why would you? When I was recovering from surgery and couldn't work, I drove for Lyft, mainly because I was very bored. It was an education. The youth don't care about cars. They can get where they need to go with Uber, Lyft, etc. and their smartphone. I had conversations with several, ferrying them to/from fairly low paying jobs. The upshot is Uber/Lyft are cheaper in the long run than owning/maintaining/insuring a car, certainly in densely populated areas.

I look forward to the day when I can have a car pick me up and take me to work, and home at the end of the day. I ride to work to eke some enjoyment out of commuting. If could read a book or take a nap enroute, that would be great. Same goes when we take a road trip with the family. Do I want to drive 6-8hrs at a shot? Nope. Let the machine drive.

Lifelong fan of anything mechanical, and particularly cars. But the joy has been sucked out of it for most driving. Sure, its great to ride down a sparsely populated country road, or through places with great scenery, but for many, many people driving is or has become a tiring and stressful grind. As long as I can keep a car for personal use, when I do want to drive, wherever that may be, then I'm perfectly fine letting the machines do the work. I think I'd feel safer riding with machines around me than the inattentive, ill-trained, distracted, clueless wingnuts I currently have to endure.

RT

 

[Al st1100]

Seem to me this stuff will work great for a horse riders. Horse doesn't have Kill switch, Gear shifter and brakes.

I ride a lot of horses, 100 to be exact

 

[Bmacleod]

While were on the subject of high tech, I read an article about the oncoming 5g networks having such speed and bandwidth that it will eventually be able to track all vehicles and predict accidents and take evasive action to prevent them. The example they used was imagine a car coming down a street and the cross traffic cant see that car for any given reason, say, a building. Said car is speeding and about to run a red light. The cars crossing blindly on the green could have their brakes applied as the system detects catastrophe. Sounds a ways out yet, but I was in awe reading the possibilities.

 

[drrod]

While were on the subject of high tech, I read an article about the oncoming 5g networks having such speed and bandwidth that it will eventually be able to track all vehicles and predict accidents and take evasive action to prevent them. The example they used was imagine a car coming down a street and the cross traffic cant see that car for any given reason, say, a building. Said car is speeding and about to run a red light. The cars crossing blindly on the green could have their brakes applied as the system detects catastrophe. Sounds a ways out yet, but I was in awe reading the possibilities.

I realize that this was taken simply as an example of what could be, but it would be better to immobilize the red light runner and apply whatever remediation is needed.

In this day and age of distracted driving, I find it less than amusing that cars are requiring more and more attention to be diverted from the road in order to carry out such mundane functions as adjusting cabin temperature or entertainment system volume. Seems to be a bit of disconnect between what society thinks they want (eg. anti texting while driving laws) and what they are buying.

If/when driving and riding become more about the destination than the journey, I will gladly take a self driver but until then I still enjoy riding and driving too much to adopt it.

 

[SMSW]

While were on the subject of high tech, I read an article about the oncoming 5g networks having such speed and bandwidth that it will eventually be able to track all vehicles and predict accidents and take evasive action to prevent them. The example they used was imagine a car coming down a street and the cross traffic cant see that car for any given reason, say, a building. Said car is speeding and about to run a red light. The cars crossing blindly on the green could have their brakes applied as the system detects catastrophe. Sounds a ways out yet, but I was in awe reading the possibilities.

If you buy a new smartphone with 5g capability, there is no increase in speed unless you happen to be standing in one of the relatively limited areas where your phone's provider has the new antennas. Evidently, 5g requires a hefty increase in infrastructure - more antennas placed closer together since the shorter wavelength used is easily blocked. The article that I read describing this said a real increase in speed is realistically 5 years out. I know nothing more than this, and my source was one article about whether to upgrade to the new iPhone 12 or not. The bottom line was there are other reasons to upgrade or not, and that reviewer suggested for most folks its a waste of money.)

If that estimated timeline is accurate, and if the infrastructure does need to be upgraded, it will be a few more years before you see the improvements trickle down to cars.

 

[ST Gui]

First and foremost a motorcyclist has heightened spidey-senses no tech can match nor improve upon. Just ask any motorcyclist. Blind spot mirrors aren't necessary – oh wait they are. Extra lights aren't necessary – oh wait those too. Radar detectors – ok those are definitely not necessary. All answers to questions and problems that 'don't exist'.

Any tech can be abuse and some may or may not be helpful. I'd like to see a group maybe 1K or 2K of riders tested to see how often and when they check they're mirrors and do shoulder checks. When they're looking left what's happening right. Or right behind. Do they routinely scan their mirrors and sides?

"My situational awareness is perfect and I always know what's going on 360º every second."
"I've never been in a crash that was my fault and never will be."
"Let me tell you about all the times my superior reflexes and skills saved me."
"It's always the Other Guy"
"I never wear seat belts they're too confining. I read were a person [burned/drowned] because they couldn't get out of their seat belt!"
"If it doesn't work right 100% is must be worthless"

[/s] Uh ok then.

All that said, the ST1100, in my experience doesn't really have blind spot, if its not in the mirrors, a very slight glance to either side takes care of it.

This has been my experience as well yet I've been told "no it's not".
I don't think that inattentive drivers would get much benefit if any. True I make this statement without any experience with this device but that's what forums are for. Our armchair into the world where we're the experts by virtue of bia and opinion.

So I'll qualify (LOL) that. If somebody isn't paying sufficient attention they have not only their own reaction time to a known issue but the time it takes to interpret the alert as well as the aforementioned reaction time. So if we remove the YRTMV for a minute it really depends on how much lead time this device provides. Is it enough for that type of person/situation for a driver (or rider) to look up/left/right/ahead/wherever to recognize and react correctly? I dunno.

I'd really like to see this thing in action. Just not on my dime. Something that checks right while you're looking left isn't a bad thing. Most of us can't check all directions at the same time. Everybody says how they'd handle a given situation. But it's only what they do in that situation that counts.

As bikers, being vulnerable, most off us are as alert and quick as these systems

I think there's a real problem with that dogma. Quick? ABS brakes come to mind. The biggest problem is the presumption that a rider is and will always be aware of a problem before this or any warning device is. There may the times that's true. There may be times it's not.

It even cinched the seatbelt down tight against me as it was braking.

I think that's a feature of a lot of cars. My 20yo domestic beast does that as well. It helps reduce internal injuries from the belt being too loose as well as possibly preventing "submarining". A Simpson 5-harness would do a better job though. (Would need a roll bar though.)

I think anything - hi or low tech that adds to your SA isn't automatically worthless or will result in your fiery death. If it's not an productive adjunct then don't get it.

But then real motorcyclists don't need to add anything – extra lights no reflector tape no hi-vis jackets vests helmets and especially no electronic gee-gaws. If you're that paranoid you otta just say home amiright?

 

[ST Gui]

I realize that this was taken simply as an example of what could be, but it would be better to immobilize the red light runner and apply whatever remediation is needed.

I'm a proponent of that. It saddened me a little to see red light cameras disappear in almost all of CA. But they were so badly mismanaged that tickets were frequently voided and cameras were a major revenue source for the manufacturers and distributors and a major headache for the cities and counties that used them.

 

[Coop]

Invent something really useful. Like a bike that puts itself on the center stand for us old geezers or can back itself into a parking space.

 

[Ol'Tomcat]

Would this new miracle device alert you to the deer lurking unseen in the brush, waiting to bound into the road just as you draw abreast?
Would it anticipate the oncoming car turning left across your path 25 feet before you get to it?
Would it somehow detect the distracted driver behind you, paying more attention to their latest Instagram post than to where they are going, as they drive into your tailpipe?
How about that invisible sheen of oil on top of a paint stripe on a wet curve?
That stray chunk of 4x4 that fell off a truck and is now lurking in the travel lane?
The idiot next to you who changes lanes without so much as a glance in your direction?

Those are the threats I worry about, and no camera system will mitigate them no matter how sophisticated the processing algorithm and alert system.

You have succinctly addressed all of the issues that concern me as I ride. I fear a technology that encourages an operator to become complacent and dependant. I see this every day when I ride and see cagers do really stupid things like leave braking at a stop sign until the last second. I can't count the number of times I've had to jump the brakes because it looked like the other guy was going to run a stop sign or cut me off.

 

[Al st1100]

While were on the subject of high tech, I read an article about the oncoming 5g networks having such speed and bandwidth that it will eventually be able to track all vehicles and predict accidents and take evasive action to prevent them. The example they used was imagine a car coming down a street and the cross traffic cant see that car for any given reason, say, a building. Said car is speeding and about to run a red light. The cars crossing blindly on the green could have their brakes applied as the system detects catastrophe. Sounds a ways out yet, but I was in awe reading the possibilities.

at what cost? The average person won't be able to pay for the repairs on these systems.

 

[Coop]

You have succinctly addressed all of the issues that concern me as I ride. I fear a technology that encourages an operator to become complacent and dependant. I see this every day when I ride and see cagers do really stupid things like leave braking at a stop sign until the last second. I can't count the number of times I've had to jump the brakes because it looked like the other guy was going to run a stop sign or cut me off.

In Lubbock, drivers have played too many video games and it's dangerous to be on the streets in a car. Luckily, I live near the loop.

 

[STJohnS]

I am all for this technology. I love it and welcome it. My next bike will have the new tech on it.

 

[mcarver351]

If I were going to invest big money in a safety system it would be a FLIR unit to locate deer in the dark.

I don't think we would ride at night if we saw everything in the brush waiting to jump out in front of us at 70mph

 

[Ol'Tomcat]

The roads are full of inattentive cage drivers who would benefit from these systems. Heck, it can be argued that these systems helped make many inattentive and lazy. I have heard one person claim that when they change lanes in their car, they dont look in the mirror to see whats behind, they just look for the little light in the corner of the mirror to tell them it is "safe" to change lanes... un-frickin- beleivable. As bikers, being vulnerable, most off us are as alert and quick as these systems

Some of us are probably even more so.

 

[Ol'Tomcat]

One of the first things my stepfather said to me when I got my first M/C was: "If you don't remember anything else I say, always keep in mind you are invisible". He was seconded to the Royal Signal Corps as a motorcycle messenger until he got chased off the beach at Dunkirk.

He taught me to ride by having me drive figure-eights in a gravel turn-around whilst trying to knock my off my bike. After he couldn't unseat me anymore, he helped me fix up the bike and bought me a helmet. "If I ever catch you riding that thing without your bucket, I'll cut the bike in half," he said as I took it out of the box. That was just one more of the many things he taught that I've never forgotten.

The upshot is: when I ride, my head is always on a swivel, and I EXPECT that car pulling up next to me to change lanes, or the one backing out of the drive not to stop, and ride accordingly. Been riding for over 57 years now, and still lovin' every second of it.

I would consider the technology when it is mature and only if it doesn't distract me from the mission of staying alive; no blinking lights, no displays that cause me to take my eyes off the road just a honey-soft voice in my ear telling me I'm about to die if I don't take evasive action.

I would NEVER trust any tech that relied on 5G or any other cell phone platform: 1) 5G is not ubiquitous, and probably never will be in outlying areas. 2) Cell phone signals are too easy to disrupt; looking through my shop, I can see enough electronic bits to build a jammer. If I can do it, you can be darned sure someone with bad intent certainly can (think IED).

I can't remember where I saw it, but there is a saying that has become a part of my continual thought process: Extinction is the rule; Survival is the exception.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I kind of think it is sort of like ABS - you don't need it til you need it and then you're mighty glad you got it.
If it functions as a warning system only, that would be a great thing - just another piece of kit in your 'safety' toolbox.
Being in the software development business for almost 50 years, I'd be a very nervous for it to make 'throttle' decisions for me until it's been around for a while.
On the other hand, I've learned as I get older as a rider that my 'reaction' time and my vision ain't quite what they used to be ...