At CES 2019, BMW engineer Stefan Hans freaked out crowds when he stepped off his R1200, gave it a gentle nudge, and the bike careened off, on its own to complete a small circuit around the parking lot.
A neat parlor trick for sure, but could the autonomous motorcycle have a functional use?
BMW sure thinks so. The company designed the autonomous motorcycle to experiment with stability. Motorcycles are particularly less stable than cars. Two wheels makes balancing a bike much harder than a four wheeled car. A semi-autonomous bike with enhanced stability helps not only inexperienced riders but also pros should they hit a massive oil slick, patch of ice, or other unexpected obstacle.
BMW’s Driverless Motorcycle is Epic
Image Source: Auto World This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas featured a lot futuristic technology. Some things like what WeCheer.io is calling world’s first smart bottle opener are worth forgetting. Others like BMW’s R1200 Ghost Motorcycle are pretty awesome.
First-Ever AUTONOMOUS BIKE – Demonstration – BMW R 1200 GS
BMW Motorrad’s first autonomous motorbike was presented at the BMW Motorrad Techday 2018. Developed by graduate engineer Stefan Hans and his team, the vehicle independently drives off, accelerates, circles a winding test track and independently slows down to a stop. Discover ALL new cars (and motorbike…) before anyone else!
10 Electric Cars Bringing More Range, Autonomous Driving and Other Innovations
The beginning of 2019 has been highlighted by multiple autoshows which served as presentation platforms for an endless stream of all-new ambitious electric vehicles. These models are expected to take over the roads after 2020 and beyond solidifying the key position of EVs on the market.