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Motorcycle Makers Team Up on Connectivity

BMW, Honda and Yamaha have announced plans to jointly study and develop connected vehicle technologies for motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles.

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BMW, Honda and Yamaha have announced plans to jointly study and develop connected vehicle technologies for motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles. So-called cooperative intelligent transportation systems allow information to be shared among vehicles and with the surrounding infrastructure to improve safety and efficiency.

The three companies also are encouraging other manufacturers to join the initiative, which builds on a memorandum of understanding announced last year by the 14-member European Assn. of Motorcycle Manufacturers. As part of that agreement, member companies pledged to introduce connected intelligent transportation features on at least one motorcycle model by 2020.

The partners note that ITS features designed for cars cannot be directly transferred to motorcycles. Due to the limited space available, electronic systems for motorcycles must be smaller and more resistant to water, dust and vibration. Motorcycles also have different driving dynamics, which require unique software algorithms.

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