For several years now, companies have been developing systems that they can improve safetyed eCall is one of them: it triggers an emergency call if it detects something abnormal (collision, rollover, etc.) in the vehicle. It has been mandatory in cars for some years, but only one brand in motorcycles come BMW implemented it as an option and on a small scale.
And motorcyclists know how not much progress is being made in the area of safety. For example, let’s think of the warning lights that signal low tire pressure, something vital in a motorcycle, not yet mandatory despite having been present in cars for a decade.
Fortunately, there is still someone who thinks about the safety of centaurs. One of these is Suzuki who has filed a patent which seems to us a good step forward (if it is put into practice). It is, in a nutshell, an eCall system improved by Suzuki that takes into account the position of the rider after a possible accident.
Suzuki, the eCall for centaurs is “to wear”
But how does this eCall system work? Normally the one installed on cars, if it detects a possible accident, thanks to the vehicle sensors, it tries to contact the driver, and if it does not receive an answer it alerts the rescue. Suzuki’s idea is to add the rider himself to the equation: the patent in fact provides pilot “worn” sensors, for example in the sole of the boots, so that whoever receives the alert of the accident can know if the pilot is standing or lying on the ground, or even if on the ground but with the torso erect (less serious). Thanks to this, the recipient of the distress call can understand if the accident may be serious and choose the best medical treatment.
The patent, in fact, contemplates a series of possible “scenarios”. For example, if the motorcycle is on the ground after the impact but the rider is standing or walking, it may have been mild. If, on the other hand, the motorcycle is lying down and the rider too, something wrong and it is urgent to send medical help. Another device that should be integrated is a proximity sensor that detects the distance between the motorcyclist and his motorcycle.
If the latter has had a collision but the pilot is nearby, he is probably fine; if, on the other hand, it is far away and not moving, the accident is very likely to have serious consequences. It is clear that this system from Suzuki involves not only the eCall of the bike but also of the sensors extras that need to be integrated into the garments that the biker wears, so it will be necessary for the various companies to adapt to this eCall when it is officially presented. This doesn’t seem feasible anytime soon, but the whole idea looks very interesting.