2-Wheeler Safety Technologies
As
per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ report published in 2020,
around 37 percent of those killed in road accidents in 2019 were 2-wheeler
riders. Since 2019, the legislation mandated ABS (Anti-lock Braking Systems)
for 2-wheelers above 125cc has aided better controllability, stability, and
steerability for the riders to support safe braking on roads. There some of
these crucial technologies which further enhance rider safety in critical
riding maneuvers.
Optimized Curve Braking (OCB) feature
from Continental helps riders apply brake in curves or turns where there is a
high tendency of fall due to wheel lock. The ABS brake system takes the angled
position of the motorcycle (using lean angle information from the continental
sensor box) into account. Depending on the incline, the ABS control becomes
highly sensitive to prevent wheel lock while providing good braking and
steering, thereby improving vehicle handling in curves, making the braking
process safer.
Traction Control System (TCS) feature
from Continental helps reduce the tyre slip on the driven wheel on slippery
roads and surfaces while accelerating. It helps to accelerate and maneuver
efficiently and adequately making the riding safe. The TCS uses the wheel speed
sensor information to monitor if the rear wheel is spinning faster than the
front wheel. Once the speed difference is sensed, the traction control system
helps to reduce the engine torque on the spinning wheel, thus, limiting the
chance of slipping or skidding.
An
extension function Electronic Drag
Control (EDC) feature helps to control the excessive wheel slip caused due
to engine drag torque and thereby increase vehicle stability. EDC function
tends to realize the best balance between vehicle stability and deceleration in
engine drag situations by controlling vehicle drag torque and therefore the
propulsion at the wheel appropriately.
Front Lift Protection (FLP) feature
helps to protect the vehicle from backward roll over and fall because of
excessive drive torque. FLP function monitors the wheel behavior to detect a
liftoff situation and quickly adjust engine torque and thereby having the right
propulsion at the wheel to stop backward rollover and fall.
Motorcycle Hold & Go (MHG) feature
is a convenient function that helps the rider to hold the bike uphill or
downhill stop in a situation without having to continuously hold the brakes.
This enables the rider to relax, work on navigation or maps, take calls, etc.
MHG function is activated by a special hand lever application by the rider thus
indicating the system to lock the front wheel. Maintaining optimal tire
pressure is crucial for the safe riding and braking performance of 2- Wheelers.
The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) measures the tire pressure using a sensor, transmits the reading, and
displays it to the rider. Continental
Deflation Detection System (DDS) is designed to work without sensors and
provide rider alerts of a critical situation.
Taking a step ahead: ARAS (Advanced Rider
Assistant Systems) for 2-Wheelers. The Blind
Spot Detection (BSD) solution monitors blind spots for the rider on the
adjacent lanes with a radar sensor and can provide visual warnings to the rider
in case of any approaching vehicles. As an enhancement, this system can also
indicate hazardous lane changes through the Lane Change Assist (LCA) feature.
Rearward-facing radar sensors scan the road area behind and next to the
motorcycle, providing a warning if a lane change is not recommended at a given
point in time.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) feature
alerts the rider by giving a visual warning when the system detects a high risk
of a collision with the vehicle in front by using a front radar sensor. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) enables
motorcyclists to have a more relaxed and safe riding experience for long
journeys. This intelligent function always ensures a safe distance to the
vehicle in front and a smooth ride at the same time. It detects relevant
objects in front of the vehicle by a radar sensor, even when riding in an
inclined position, and performs an automatic correction of the motorcycle’s
speed.
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) is one
such technology, which takes the Forward Collision Warning one step further,
indicating to the rider to take action. The system detects an imminent collision
with a vehicle ahead or with an obstacle, first warns the rider, and then
supports the rider by initiating the braking maneuver.
“As
the newer and well-informed generation of consumers are becoming more aware of
the safety features, the demand for advanced safety technologies will increase.
Going by the trend, we can expect features like traction control, optimized
curve braking, FLP, FCW, BSD, and others, to become increasingly prominent in
the Indian 2-wheeler market in the course of next years,” said Krishan.
In the Market, For the Market
Localization
is at the core of company’s strategy in India, creating an end-to-end value
creation starting from marketing, R&D to production and sales. In 2016,
Continental had set up assembly lines in Gurugram to assemble Antilock Brake
Systems (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems for 2 wheelers and
passenger cars. In 2018, the technology company set up production for ABS and
ESC Electronic Control Units (ECU) at its Bengaluru plant. Thus, increase in
the content of localization in ABS and ESC. In the subsequent year, the company
achieved the production milestone of one million ABS and ESC ECUs at its
Bangalore plant.
In
2020, Continental reached a milestone of 50 Million Wheel Speed Sensors (WSS)
at its Manesar plant. Apart from increasing production in India, Continental is
also innovating to produce technologies driven by local market requirements
with an R&D setup. For instance, Continental’s MiniMAB product (One-Channel
ABS) is developed for smaller motorcycles and scooters. The system prevents the
front wheel from locking up, thus avoiding crashes or the vehicle becoming
unstable. This is also effective in combination with a mechanical drum brake on
the rear wheel. MK100MAB product (Two-Channel ABS) enhances safety by
preventing both front and rear wheels from locking on vehicles that have disc
brakes on the front and rear wheels. MK100 MIB product (Two- Channel ABS with
Integral Brake Function) provides higher safety and comfort features like MHG,
ACC & EBA.