The Future Of Motorcycle Safety
Vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology allows vehicles to transmit data about speed, position and direction to other vehicles. In theory, such technology would allow vehicles to avoid collisions by issuing warnings to drivers or even taking corrective action, such as slowing down, automatically. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already initiated the first steps in requiring cars SUVs and pickup trucks to come equipped with such technology in the future. Early research has shown that the technology might be effective in protecting motorcycle riders as well.
The devices that are being tested now do not have the ability to control the vehicles themselves. The devices simply exchange the most basic safety data and give operators notice of potential crash situations. The 360-degree awareness of the early technology helps drivers become aware of threats that might fall outside of their field of vision. This is particularly important for motorcyclists, who are often the victims of car and truck drivers who do not look or do not see them before changing lanes, turning across traffic or making other maneuvers.
Studies of collisions between motorcycles and other vehicles have shown that the driver of the non-motorcycle violated the right-of-way of the motorcycle two-thirds of the time. The Start Seeing Motorcycles campaign has attempted to draw attention to the problem, but it has not led to a substantial improvement in driver awareness of motorcycles. Vehicle-to-vehicle technology could help motorists react to motorcycles, even when they don't see those motorcycles in advance.
Source: Ultimate Motorcycling, "Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications for Motorcycles?," by Gary Ilminen, 6 January 2015
