BMW will soon be launching the Active Cruise Control system for its motorcycles, which will make long rides comfier while also enhancing safety by maintaining distance to the vehicle in front
Cruise control as a feature is quickly gaining popularity, and being made available with more and more affordable cars. The feature has existed for years now, but what if we told you an automobile manufacturer is planning to introduce the system with its motorcycles? That’s right, BMW Motorrad will soon be bringing its Active Cruise Control (ACC) system to its bikes.
In order to maximise comfort and safety, BMW has partnered with Bosch to develop the rider assistance system in motorcycles. This will help the rider maintain a distance to the vehicle in front, and can be beneficial during long highway rides. The ACC system will offer you three different stages.
The riding speed and the distance will be set using a dedicated button, just like on cars. Individual settings will be displayed on the bike’s instrument cluster. The system will be able to automatically regulate the vehicle speed when the distance to the vehicle in front is reduced and will maintain the distance defined by the rider.
BMW’s Active Cruise Control system will offer two different control characteristics, i.e. comfortable or dynamic, which will alter the acceleration and deceleration behaviour. You will also have the capability to turn off the distance control in order to be able to use the Dynamic Cruise Control (DCC).
While cornering, the ACC system reduces the speed if required, and aims for a comfortable lean angle. However, as the lean angle increases, the braking and acceleration dynamics are limited in order to maintain a stable ride, and avoid sudden or unexpected braking or acceleration.
It should also be noted that the rider will still be able to take over at any particular time, and the ACC system will only respond to moving vehicles ahead of the motorcycle, not the stationary ones. Thus, the system will detect if you’re stopping at a traffic signal, or stuck in a traffic jam.
