You’ve heard of self-driving cars, but what about a self-balancing motorcycle. Numerous motorcyclists get injured because they lose control of their bikes, or their bikes end up laying over on their sides. In its most recent technological invention, Honda hopes to change and reduce these dangers with its self-balancing motorcycle.
Honda’s bike will keep the motorcycle in balance at high speeds, and it will also keep it balancing as the rider drivers slowly through a parking lot — or even while the driver is stopped at a red light. Motorcyclists with Honda’s self-balancing technology don’t even need to put their feet down to balance their bikes.
Honda says that it developed this technology for its self-balancing mobility unicycle, the Uni-Cub, and later applied the motorcycle. The technology is called “Riding Assist,” but the automaker has yet to incorporate it into any motorcycles that are currently on the market. Perhaps in the future, however, we will see motorcyclists magically balancing on two wheels at red lights. We may also see a reduction in motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities if the technology is widely adopted in the future.
Now, if only Honda could create other technology to prevent the other kinds of motorcycle accidents bikers get hurt and killed in — like accidents caused by distracted, drunk, unlawful and reckless drivers. Until then, motorcyclists will need to be careful to stay visible, drive defensively and avoid dangerous situations. Also, in the event that a motorcyclist gets hurt — due to no fault of his or her own — the injured biker may want to learn more about personal injury law and his or her ability to pursue financial restitution in court.
Source: Road and Track, “Honda Just Invented a Self-Balancing Motorcycle That Never Falls Over,” Bob Sorokanach, accessed Jan. 26, 2018