Japanese multinational corporation Yamaha has debuted a robot-riding motorcycle at the Tokyo Motor Show. The goal of the concept is creating robot riders that can control motorcycles at high speeds.
Yamaha has made somewhat of an amazement at the Tokyo Motor Show when it showed a robot that can ride a motorcycle. Different from any other entrants during the trade fair was the company's new Motobot, which is not about just starting a standard motorcycle but a robot that can ride a two-wheeled vehicle at very high speeds.
Motobot is a combination of the corporation's robot technology and its motorcycle expertise. Its research and developments aims in creating a robot that can ride a motorcycle competently at high speeds like in MotoGP. However, little has been made with regard to the information.
In a short press release at the tradeshow, Yamaha deep-rooted that controlling multifaceted movements of a 1000cc R1M at its top speed involves a lot of control systems that must function at a very high degree of precision. The goal of the application was to create support systems for riders much alike to those of autonomous cars, making driving more safe.
Yamaha's R&D wishes to apply the knowledge and essential technology gained in the process. With this, the development of advanced rider support and rider safety can be put to use and incorporate it in the business, as well as pioneering robot support systems on motorcycles.
It is not a secret that The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has initiated a huge jump forward in autonomous cars over the past few years. During the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge, a Ghostrider robot similar to Yamaha's Motobot debuted in the event. Created by Anthony Levandowski, the robot rode a single-cylinder dirt bike, which was one of the firsts in making autonomous motorcycles.
Although the Ghostrider concept was less publicized and did not qualify for the final event, only a trickle did qualify and got out. To sum it up, the occasion was a turning point for autonomous cars being made at a rapid rate from then on until today.
