Skip to main content

Europe to test autonomous cars with motorcycles

Following a letter written by motorcyclists’ organisations Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA), MAG NL and KNMV sent to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority RDW, expressing concerns about European type approval for Tesla, vehicle authorities will cooperate with motorcyclists’ organisations and conduct their own test program with different brands of semi-autonomous cars. A driver of a Tesla – and of an increasing number of advanced cars – can leave key actions to the vehicle, while in t
December 1, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Following a letter written by motorcyclists’ organisations 1818 Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA), MAG NL and KNMV sent to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority RDW, expressing concerns about European type approval for 8534 Tesla, vehicle authorities will cooperate with motorcyclists’ organisations and conduct their own test program with different brands of semi-autonomous cars.

A driver of a Tesla – and of an increasing number of advanced cars – can leave key actions to the vehicle, while in the opinion of the motorcyclists’ organisations this equipment is not or not sufficiently tested with motorcycles and other powered two wheelers.

The decision follows a meeting at which the joint conclusion of RDW and the motorcyclists’ organisations was that properly functioning advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can provide an added value to road safety, but there are also disadvantages when drivers don’t use it properly and do not and pay sufficient attention to traffic.

RDW proposes, in cooperation with the motorcyclists’ organisations, to increase the knowledge on this issue by conducting their own test program with different brands of ADAS-equipped cars. This test program must objectively assess the technique that should ensure motorcycles and other powered two wheelers are detected by the car’s sensors and whether that technology also responds correctly to the presence of motorcycles. RDW also believes, as do the riders, that testing with motorcycles should be part of the test protocol for European type approval.

The test program will be developed in the first quarter of 2017, the organisations will explore what research in the field of testing motorcycles with semi-autonomous cars is already available and the research questions will be formulated. Following that, field tests will be conducted in 2017.

Related Content

  • New Riderscan survey on ITS and motorcycling safety
    January 17, 2014
    The Riderscan project is launching its third and last survey targeting European motorcyclists. Focusing on new technologies and powered two wheelers (PTW), the survey will feed the Riderscan report on traffic management, providing a unique opportunity to European riders to express their views on coming intelligent transport technologies. Riderscan aims to bridge the gap between road safety authorities, researchers, and industry stakeholders by setting up a detailed survey over ITS systems in relation wit
  • Deadlines approach for Europe’s automatic crash alert system
    September 15, 2016
    The EU-co-funded I_ HeERO (Infrastructure_ Harmonised eCall European Pilot) project is working to ensure the readiness of national networks of call centres - known as public safety answering posts (PSAPs) - to deal with automated crash alerts arriving via the continent-wide 112 emergency phone number. Following on from its HeERO and HeERO2 pre-deployment predecessors, which enjoyed €16m (US$17.76m) in EU funding, the new initiative runs from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017. It has €30.9 million (US$34.
  • Motorcycle manufacturers partner on C-ITS
    October 9, 2015
    BMW Motorrad, Honda Motor Company and Yamaha Motor Company have joined forces to enhance Cooperative-Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) applications in powered two-wheelers (PTWs) and are working together to establish a consortium named Connected Motorcycle Consortium. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed by all European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) manufacturing members in 2014, C-ITS features will be introduced from 2020 onwards. In order to acc
  • Increasing road safety with automated driver assistance systems
    January 26, 2012
    Jon Masters looks at how drivers will be trained to use the increasing number of advanced driver assistance systems being incorporated into modern cars