Ducati bikes to feature radar system by 2020

Taking motorcycle safety to the next level, Ducati announced that it’s developing a radar system for motorcycles. Unlike the radar system used in warfare to snoop on unwanted threats from enemies, the Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) in the Ducati motorcycle uses sensors and radar to warn the riders (using an advanced user interface) of any vehicle in the rider's ‘blind spot’ to avoid collisions. The 'blind spot' is the section of the road behind the rider that's not visible in the rear-view mirror.

According to Ducati, the radar system will also be instrumental in adaptive cruise control, allowing the rider to follow any vehicle at a certain safe distance. The Italian brand is still fine-tuning ARAS, but, it did mention that the system will make its way to production models by 2020. It’s likely that the Multistrada range will be the first production Ducati motorcycle to feature this radar system, given the bike's touring characteristics.

The ARAS is part of its safety strategy called "Safety Road Map 2025". The first step of this initiative is to employ cornering ABS across its entire product portfolio. While standard ABS is only useful when the vehicle is riding in a straight line, cornering ABS allows full braking control even when the two-wheeler is leaned into a corner, with the help of IMU (inertia measurement unit).

Ducati was also the first manufacturer to launch a motorcycle that could interact with an airbag-equipped jacket in 2014. The system debuted on the Multistrada 1200 D|air and it was developed in conjunction with riding gear manufacturer Dainese. When a crash scenario is detected, the system uses sensors in the jacket and motorcycle to inflate the airbag system inside the jacket in just 45 milliseconds.