Honda’s Self-Balancing Motorcycle
When it comes to safety and technology, you can always count on Honda to be at the cutting edge of development. The global company’s latest demonstration of this engineering prowess was at the opening of the annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) held in Las Vegas, where Honda introduced its “Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem” concept aimed at transforming “the mobility experience of the future and improve customers’ quality of life.” Part of this display included Honda’s innovative “Moto Riding Assist” technology that utilizes robotics technology to allow a motorcycle to balance itself at slow speeds and while stopped without gyroscopes.
Riding a motorcycle at very slow speeds requires a modicum of skill from the rider to maintain balance and keep from falling over. Because of its single-track wheel stance, a two-wheeled vehicle will want to tip over without some sort of balance assistance. This involves a subtle dance of power application and steering corrections from the rider, with steering movements being the primary factor