Motorcycle of the future from BMW: no helmet, no steering wheel, no suspension

Motorcycle of the future from BMW

The new Vision Next 100 concept from Motorrad, BMW’s motorcycle development department, is not a prediction, but rather a dream of what motorcycles will become in the not-too-distant future. More like three generations or more. And yes, the concept looks like a motorcycle from the movie Tron.Composite elastic frame will eliminate the need for suspension and handlebars, self-balancing gyroscopes, augmented reality visors and artificial intelligence security system will allow you to forget about the helmet. Inside such a motorcycle there will be a yet unknown zero-emission electric motor, and those cylinders that you see are the cooling system. The rider wears a “flexible bionic structure,” or supportive suit, that moves with the person, reducing fatigue, and also allows them to steer. No sensors or dials: all the necessary information will be immediately projected onto a multilayer three-dimensional visor, the picture on which will change depending on the direction of the motorcyclist’s gaze. Look down and you will see the speed or charge level, or the map, look up and the road map will appear on the visor,

The team of Motorrad’s chief designer, Edvard Heinrich, asked riders what they wanted, and it turned out that what they wanted most was to ride like before, without bulky helmets and hazmat suits. That is why BMW introduced a motorcycle so smart that its driver can get by with thin overalls, as gyroscopes will take care of the balance, and artificial intelligence will prevent collisions.

Another innovation will be the so-called “flex frame”, a composite monoframe that will be both flexible and rigid when needed. Heinrich said that they can imagine and design something like this now, but there is still not enough technological power to assemble it.