BMW develop a riderless motorcycle

BMW has shown off its latest motorbike that is unlike any other.

BMW’S latest technology could spell the end of food delivery riders.

The German brand has developed a motorcycle that rides itself.

The prototype — a converted BMW R 1200 GS — starts its own engine, recognises turns, accelerates and brakes without any human interaction.

But if you think the idea of a riderless motorcycle sounds pointless, you are not alone. In the instructional video BMW says: “The self-riding motorbike seems to make no real sense.”

The company said that it is by no means looking to build a fully independent bike but rather develop safety equipment off the underlying technology used.

The riderless motorcycle prototype will be used to developed new safety technology.

Two years of research has uncovered valuable knowledge about driving dynamics, including how to detect dangerous situations early. This research can then be used to increase safety technology in the future for emergency manoeuvres that include sudden braking and turning at intersections.

BMW Motorrad safety engineer Stefan Hans believes that the study could help develop semi-autonomous safety technology similar to that seen in current cars.

“We can determine if a future situation will become dangerous or not. If so, we can inform, warn or intervene directly,” says Hans.

The company says some of the safety tech developed during the program may soon feature in production motorcycles.