Autotalks launches bike-to-vehicle (B2V) technology to prevent motorcycle accidents
08 June 2017
Israel-based Autotalks, a provider of V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communication solutions, is launching its bike-to-vehicle (B2V) solution, a technology for the prevention of motorcycle accidents. The solution is based on the B2X (Bike-to-Everything) chipset developed by the company.
Bosch announced on 23 May that it is carrying out a development B2V study that incorporates Autotalks’ B2V technology alongside Ducati’s motorcycles and Cohda Wireless’ software stack. The company also said that according to Bosch accident research, the B2V technology could prevent nearly a third of all powered two-wheeler accidents with casualties in Germany.
Autotalks’ B2V solution enables detection of motorcycles that are not visible to the human eye or cameras of any sort. To allow riders and drivers who are farther away to reliably receive the necessary information, the technology makes use of multi-hopping, which forwards the information automatically from vehicle to vehicle. In critical situations, therefore, all road users know what is happening and are able to take appropriate action in advance.
The advantages of the Autotalks’ solution include, among other things, simple integration, low power consumption, the smallest form factor, highest range of operating temperature and smallest physical size, which results in its resistance to the strong vibration and challenging environmental conditions of motorcycles.
Light-weight and small size are critical for motorcycle integration. Antenna flexibility is important for supporting various motorcycles types. Autotalk’s CRATON2 flexibility allows simple connectivity to vehicle bus or to connectivity such as Bluetooth for HMI integration.
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| Potential locations for V2X hardware. Source: AutoTalk. Click to enlarge. |
CRATON2, specifically designed for autonomous vehicles, integrates a mobility-optimized IEEE802.11p modem, ultra-low-latency V2X Hardware Security Module (eHSM), hardware acceleration engines for lin-rate message verification, single/dual ARM Cortex A7 processor capable of running full V2X middleware and applications and optional secure CAN MCU.
In addition, CRATON2 supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac to enable external WiFi for supplementary value added services. Due to its high level of integration, CRATON2 is cost-optimized, as it reduces development, integration and certification effort and ensures the quickest time-to-market.
The use of DSRC (dedicated short range communications) protocol enables cars and motorcycles to safely exchange data such as speed, direction of travel, location and braking mode. Since motorcycles rarely have telematics services and are not obliged to support the eCall regulation, they do not include a cellular modem. Therefore, according to Autotalks, the simplest and cheapest connectivity for motorcycles is DSRC.
The launch of B2V technology is a significant milestone for Autotalks as well as for motorcycle drivers. Motorcycle accidents are one of the world’s leading causes of unnatural deaths. According to World Health Organization data from 2015, 23% out of 1.25 million traffic fatalities is a motorcycle rider. A 2013 study conducted by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that motorcyclists have a 26-fold higher risk of death than those who drive other vehicles.
A considerable proportion of the drivers involved in an accident with a motorcycle claimed that they did not even see the motorcycle approaching. Motorcycles are characterized by their relatively small size, high speed and maneuverability, which make it difficult to identify them and predict their movements. B2V will enhance motorcyclists’ safety.
—Hagai Zyss, Autotalks’ CEO
I have mixed views on this sort of thing (for motorbikes, bikes and pedestrians). If you give people the option of getting these warning devices, then the motorists start to depend on them and are less likely to see other bikes that do not have them.
Similarly, older cars won't have receivers to pick them up, so bikers, expecting cars to know where they are, might be in for a surprise.
So it is a problem of getting from here to there.
"A considerable proportion of the drivers involved in an accident with a motorcycle claimed that they did not even see the motorcycle approaching."
I can agree with this, motorists just do not see bikes of any kind, they are just tuned out and not looking for them.
Flashing lights on bikes can help here - it really annoys me to see cyclists out at night without lights. Lights are small and inexpensive and the batteries last for ages, it is not like the '90s when you had D cell bicycle lamps.
Posted by: mahonj | 08 June 2017 at 05:03 AM
Autotalks’ B2V solution enables detection of motorcycles that are not visible to the human eye or cameras of any sort. To allow riders and drivers who are farther away to reliably receive the necessary information
This is good, this is what is needed. But it doesn't NOT absolve the driver or biker from avoiding what IS visible, whether it be other cars & motorbikes, bikes, pedestrians, downed trees & powerlines, deer or something that fell off the back of a truck.
Posted by: ai_vin | 08 June 2017 at 07:38 AM
B2V might have helped me about 5 1/2 years ago. Driving home after work and after dark, I had a 19-year old driver in a AAA service truck pull a U-turn in my face on a 2-lane road. Not a very fair contest as I had a light weight dual sport motorcycle. I was dressed for the occasion with full face race helmet, padded jacket, padded gloves, heavy pants, and boots but I still ended up with a broken neck, broken back, broken hip, and a very serious cut on my ankle. Spent 3 weeks in the hospital. Also broke the lower front on the helmet but only suffered a black eye, bloody nose and cut lip on my face but I did get a good concussion. Had to wear a "halo" for 3 months and still have some residual stiffness but mostly recovered.
Do not know how the driver had not noticed my obnoxiously bright headlight but he was probably playing with a GPS or phone.
ai vin: a few years before, I actually rode my motorcycle over a deer -- whump, whump. It was before dawn and the car in front of me suddenly swerved to miss the deer and I did not have time to swerve. Fortunately, the deer was already down and I had adequate clearance and wheel travel.
Posted by: sd | 08 June 2017 at 01:27 PM
Could be good for bicycles too. Some people ride/drive in the blind spot, I have NO idea why. The saying is if you can not see the drivers eyes in their mirror they can not see you.
Posted by: SJC | 08 June 2017 at 07:10 PM
"A considerable proportion of the drivers involved in an accident with a motorcycle claimed that they did not even see the motorcycle approaching."
Why wound't you make the claim, otherwise it's effectively manslaughter.
My three attempts when riding were innocent looking two older ladies with mum in the passengers eyeballing and gesticulating " get outa my way" and next thing I have two options the kerb or give way to the bigger vehicle.
Remember they 'won't feel a thing'
The third driver not recognised other than the fact that the only option was be rammed.
The other dude slammed reverse when I was stopped behind @ respectfull distance @ traffic lights I took the medium strip to be a safe place.'Bad hair day' doesn't come close .
Some drivers are plain evil.
Cars get the same from heavy vehicles and pushbikes get the most 'special treatment'In my experience.
I've seen studies of a full filmed 'animation of a man leading an elephant (elephant in the room) across a busy city Bridge walkway and passerbyes interviewed and asked if they saw "anything unusual" The reply was 95% "NO"
The expected outcome was verified. Psychologically, people simply do not see the 'impossible' as it would likely blow a mind fuse.
With regards to cycles of all sorts some people just don't register the other person and associated rights, expressions of freedom envy, some just have an underlying hatred that explodes as road rage.
It is well documented the cases where angry people express their anger and set fit fire to homeless people in parks.
Just to say 'didn't 'think' or 'see' is one thing' And that can be alleviated by safe driving practices.
Willfull blindness is probably the more difficult to manage and more common than most people can comprehend.
Oh and IME the uturn on the blind corner and over the bonnet ticket to hospital in an ambulance is always just around the next corner.
Stay safe.
Interesting how ubiquitous dash cams have become for good reason.
Posted by: Arnold | 08 June 2017 at 11:19 PM