There's an ongoing and lively debate over anti-lock brakes on bikes, and whether or not they should be mandatory. Let's take that debate one step further - what about fully automatic braking systems?
Self-driving cars are a hot topic right now, from cars that can parallel park themselves all the way up to Google's attempts at creating a fully self-driving automobile. There are a number of arguments being made for the Self-Driving Car; chief among them is the belief that driver-caused accidents will be reduced, in part thanks to RoboCar's superior quick-braking ability. The theory is that a computer's ability to quickly process information returned to it via sensors makes for faster reaction times - and eliminates error judgment caused by human emotions, namely fear and panic. But would automatic braking systems work on a motorcycle?

One researcher seems to think so. In an article appearing on News.com.au, Australia-based researcher Dr. Giovanni Savino makes his case for mandatory emergency auto-braking systems on bikes. Savino researched over 200 motorcycle accidents in Europe and Australia from 2009 to 2014, and came to the conclusion that auto-brakes would make a difference in as many as one-third of "serious crashes".


ABS or no, you'll still need to know how to use these.Now, before you scoff (and there are plenty of legitimate questions to be asked here), it should be noted that Savino is not a wide-eyed anti-motorcycle kook. He's actually made a career for himself studying the physics of motorcycles, and was even commissioned by Ducati to create a Physics of Motorcycles class for high school students at Ducati's factory in Borgo Panigale. And the automatic emergency braking system he's proposing for motorcycles isn't just theoretical - it's being tested, in Dr. Savino's ABRAM (Autonomous BRAking for Motorcycles) project. In this video, you can get a rider's-eye view of the AEB in action:

So that answers the first question most of you probably had: wouldn't the rider just fly right over the handlebars? In his trials, Dr. Savino isn't automatically applying the brakes per se; instead, engine power is reduced at random times, simulating the effects of a proposed AEB system. A production AEB system would work in a similar way, according to Dr. Savino; collision detecting sensors would transmit information to the AEB, which would first gradually apply the brakes, and then increase braking to bring the bike to a safe and controlled stop. Basically, the bike wouldn't allow the rider to panic-pull the brakes. On his website, Dr. Savino reports that while there may have been some anxiousness from riders who weren't used to having their bikes suddenly decelerate without warning, that feeling lessened as they became used to the system.


We should keep in mind, however, that this project is in its early stages. And lots of work needs to be done. But it's worth bringing up a few points of discussion. First, is an AEB putting the cart before the ABS horse? There are still plenty of bikes that don't come equipped with ABS, and while it's safe to say that most drivers wouldn't buy a car without it, many riders aren't convinced that ABS is a good thing as it can give riders - especially new ones - a false sense of security at best, and at worst may lead to new riders not bothering to learn proper braking techniques. Second, while the AEB system may work at the speeds at which Dr. Savino tested it, automatic emergency braking at high speeds is a entirely different animal - and how would it work given that one of a rider's best defenses against an accident is speed and maneuvering?

It'll be interesting to see how Dr. Savino's work unfolds. You can follow his progress at his blog. And of course we want to hear your thoughts on automatic braking systems for motorcycles in the comments section.

 

How BMW ABS works

By Jesse Kiser
A little over a week ago, BMW introduced ABS Pro, a new retrofitted system within the HP4’s electronics which alters ABS braking while cornering. Built by Bosch, it isn’t exactly revolutionary, but it is the first it’s been offered on a sportbike. We called BMW to get more info on how exactly it works.
The KTM 1190 Adventure uses a similar system to the BMW, called the Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC). Introduced as a retrofitted upgrade last year, it’s also built by Bosch and uses a lean-angle ABS system. We assumed BMW’s version would be similar in form and function, but according to BMW, that’s not true.
“For example, it uses information from the lean angle sensor which is unique to BMW,” said BMW Product Manager Sergio Carvajal. BMW engineers specifically programmed the BMW ABS Pro to work with the HP4, and fine tuned the ABS Pro for the HP4’s weight, wheelbase and power.
ABS Pro uses input from the HP4 - roll rate, yaw rate and wheel speed - that’s already collected by the Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) and the Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), units. All three are produced by Bosch which means adding ABS Pro is only a programming installation with no need to turn a single bolt. Ah, the future.
Currently the system is a Germany-only, retrofitted dealer-install and limited to just the HP4 model. It remains a mystery to us if it’ll be on any 2015 US models and BMW isn’t spilling the beans just yet.
How it Works.
So, how does ABS Pro keep your bike leaned over in a corner? Normal ABS systems on a motorcycle or car, pulsates brake pressure. Maximum brake pressure is applied and released and then reapplied, multiple times within fractions of a second.
Grabbing the brakes hard causes the bike to stand up straight (or wipe out from underneath you). Pulsating pressure, from normal ABS, can cause a tire to lock up and slide for an instant, then regain traction. This will also cause the bike to snap up straight--like when you were 16 and your girlfriends’ mom walked in on you two were making out. No good.
Rather than pulsating one or two wheels, ABS Pro doesn’t modulate the brakes nearly as aggressive, while simultaneously limiting braking pressure and dispersing it evenly between front and rear. It does this even if only one brake lever is applied.
“The new ABS Pro still operates like any other ABS, by limiting brake pressure to avoid brake lock-up,” said Sergio. “ABS Pro further fine tunes the ABS response for a leaned over motorcycle, limiting initial pressure build up and smoothing out any abruptness in the braking maneuver.”
This quickly slows you down without standing the bike up. It’ll also limit wheel hop and sliding. There’s no hard, pulsating feeling , which is often found on other ABS brake systems. According to BMW, with ABS Pro, the braking pressure modulation is applied more evenly. All this technology keeps you in the corner and in your lane when you brake hard.

Why You Should Care
We can hear the whining already, “ABS is for noobs,” or “I’d never want that.” You know what’s awesome? Not flipping off your bike. You know what’s really cool? Safety, that’s what!
That said, those nice engineers from Munich gave you a solid - if you don’t want the ABS on, BMW makes it easy to switch off, simply enter Race Mode and traditional brakes are back.
ABS Pro wasn’t built for racing; however, it was built for saving lives just like when Bosch introduced the system for cars way back in 1978.
“ABS Pro was not developed to enhance individual braking performance when braking in bends - especially not on race tracks,” said Sergio. This system doesn't take away from the experience or control of riding, it just adds more safety, allowing us to push the bike faster into a corner, without being scared of the stalled camper van on the other side. All good things.

US Availability
BMW has no word on when the new system will be available to us Americans. “It is an improvement in the operation of our ABS achieved by expanding the number of parameters evaluated and improving the programming to respond accordingly. Like any new technology, it takes some time to roll into the model line,” said Sergio.
BMW also won’t say how much it’ll cost, and if and when it’ll come to the US. The ABS Pro system is currently available at BMW’s German dealerships for € 380.
So will it be on the 2015 HP4? Probably, but BMW won’t answer that question yet either. “...I am not withholding any information! Only that it is available as a retrofit for the HP4,” said Sergio.
There’s no doubt this will be implemented on the full BMW line globally, we just want to know how much longer we’ll have to wait on our end.
Asking You
Do you think all production motorcycles will have this type of ABS system within the next couple of years? Do you think ABS takes control away from the rider? Would you install it on your bike?