Honda Demos New Safety Technology

Motorcycle.com Staff
by Motorcycle.com Staff

Honda demos new safety technology

GPS data used to warn riders of approaching vehicles
By Motorcycle.Com Staff, Oct. 23, 2008
Honda has demonstrated a new safety technology that uses GPS data to warn riders and drivers of potential collisions.

The Japanese manufacturer presented its Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) system at the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium in Dudenhofen, Germany Oct. 22-23.

Hondas V2V system is designed to compensate for errors in perception or lapses in concentration. The V2V system relays information between vehicles about their position and direction and delivers warnings to riders and drivers when other vehicles are approaching intersections in a perpendicular direction or when

A Heads-up Indicator Display mounted above the instrument cluster provides visual cues warning of potential collisions.
oncoming vehicles are attempting a left turn that would cut across the path of another vehicle. According to the Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study (MAIDS) funded by the European Union, nearly 35% of motorcycle accidents occur in these two situations.

Honda is also testing the technology in situations where human perception may not always be reliable, such as when poor lighting and weather conditions can make it difficult for drivers to judge the speed and distance of motorcycles.

The V2V alerts riders using a Heads-up Indicator Display mounted on the upper edge of a motorcycles dashboard near the riders line of vision. The intensity, color and position of lights on the display alerts riders of potential dangers without interfering with their view of the road.

Honda has been researching vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems for over a decade.

A Bluetooth communication link also provides audio warnings to specify the specific hazard. Drivers can receive the same information via their GPS navigation display.

The V2V system is the latest in Hondas efforts to develop motorcycle safety technology. Previous efforts include motorcycle riding simulators, motorcycle airbags and electronically-controlled combined ABS for sportbikes.

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Motorcycle.com Staff
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