Could self-driving cars increase bike sales?

We all have friends who say they would love to give motorcycling a go, but think riding on the road is too much of a risk.

But all that could change according to Karl Viktor Schaller, head of development at BMW Motorrad, who says the rise of self-driving cars will create a boom in motorcycle sales. “It would mean a dramatic enhancement in safety for the motorbike,” Mr Schaller said, speaking to thenational.ae. “And it would guarantee a wider user group.”

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Currently, self-driving cars can ‘see’ obstacles, such as motorcyclists or pedestrians, via sesnors or radar, but Schaller can see a future where motorcycles – and all vehicles – will ‘talk’ to each other, notifying other vehicles of their speed and directon. “We can use that to build an electronic safety cage around a motorbike.”

The sales increase could happen soon, with chief executive of Tesla Motors Elon Musk predicting half of all cars built in 2022 to be fully autonomous.

 

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