Honda’s Talking Motorcycle
29. Oct, 2008 
7 Comments
We’re not talking about a bike that has a fancy alarm system that says “Move away from the vehicle”. Or one who’s low-budget GPS says “Recalculating, recalculating”. We’re talking about a motorcycle that tells other motorists to be careful there is a motorcycle out there—somewhere in the gloom, or fog or rain.
Honda has unveiled the wireless “Vehicle to Vehicle Communication System”. The system tells the speed and direction of nearby vehicles equipped with the system, plus warns the operator of accidents, obstructions and congested roads ahead. The motorcyclist has a helmet speaker while the cars have a dashboard display. In theory when the system is functional it could save lives, if ALL vehicles are equipped with it.
Which leads me to this question, Won’t the display be another driver distraction? I also have a couple suggestions. The bike system should have a warning alarm that goes off when the car driver ignores his system. The car system should be made loud enough to be heard by people with hearing impairments, over cell phones, over head banging radio music and a carload of multiple simultaneous conversations. I also think the automobile system should say to the driver “HEY STUPID; make the left turn AFTER the motorcycle goes by, YIELD to that bike when you’re coming down that ON ramp. PAY attention to the road”.
source: Motors Today
Just one more gadget to distract the motorist. Doesn’t sound like motorcycle safety to me.
I think it’s a good idea, as long as it works better than my GPS or my cellphone.
One more gadget to play with while you should be driving. My boyfriend will be thrilled.
That’s one of those things where you think, good idea. Then you actually think about it and you say, what the **** was I thinking. Too bad Honda never got to actually thinking before they invested all that cash.
Wow! I need a new job. People are getting paid huge amounts of money to think up stupid ideas like this one!
At least it’s still in the development stage and not an option, yet. If it goes into production will it only be available on Honda cars and motorcycles? Will it be compatible with systems other manufacturers develop or will it be like VHS and Betamax, Apple and Windows?
I would prefer, for the inattentive driver, that it be hooked to his ass with an electrical device that shocked him awake…Last week I had a guy merging onto the highway with me, didnt look, I was right beside him I had to twist the throttle to avoid him, and he still behaved as though I wasn’t there…stayed on my ass the entire time, I would have loved it if he was hooked up to something that shocked his ass and made him drop his fricken cell phone.
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