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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US university investigates smart car tyres
    January 15, 2016
    Researchers at Virginia Tech, Penn State University, and 12 industry partners are collaborating on a US$1.2 million National Science Foundation-funded project to integrate sensors into car tyres, with the aim of providing information on the vehicle’s speed and road conditions. Saied Taheri, an associate professor of mechanical engineering in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering and the director of the Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe), is the project’s lead investigator. Taheri has been working for
  • ITS America: building the infrastructure for V2X
    May 3, 2013
    By 2024, market penetration of factory fit DSRC-equipped vehicles in the US could rise to 30 per cent, according to US Department of Transportation AASHTO Deployment Analysis 2012, enabling widespread data communications services and kick-starting a national DSRC infrastructure. The question is: who will pay for the infrastructure in the first place? In an interview with Steve Bayless, director of telecomms and telematics at ITS America, Telematics Update investigated which key investors will benefit from s
  • Vitronic tests sensor tech in Hamburg
    May 24, 2021
    Vitronic aims to improve VRU safety using V2X on German city's real-world 'test' track
  • Foreign drivers cannot avoid paying Dart Charge, says RHA
    August 22, 2017
    The news that over one million non-UK drivers have managed to avoid paying the Dart Charge when travelling over the Dartford Crossing comes as little surprise to the Road Haulage Association *RHA). Speaking to BBC Kent, RHA policy director Duncan Buchanan said: “This issue was identified from the moment the Freeflow system was introduced, and it is still a problem. Foreign drivers should pay: it’s as simple as that. It is very concerning that there are still hauliers making the crossing for free.” Fin