Bosch set to launch new motorcycle stability control system
Motorcycle stability control (MSC) has led to a significant improvement in motorcycle safety. At the end of 2014, Bosch will be launching ‘MSC base’, a new variant of this safety system.
It is the first MSC to be based on conventional ABS technology. This technology features two separate braking channels, and has the advantage of being cost-efficient and compact. It complements the ‘MSC enhanced’ system, which is based on a composite braking system and was launched at the end of 2013. “With MSC base, Bosch will be in a position to offer lean angle-dependent support for nearly every type of motorcycle,” says Dr. Fevzi Yildirim, head of the motorcycle safety product group in Japan.
The corresponding hydraulic unit and lean-angle sensor will premiere in Ducati’s new 1299 Panigale. In addition to this hardware, Bosch is also supplying the lean angle-dependent brake control function, and Ducati is using the sensor data for the bend-dependent traction control it is developing. “This package of functions offers a crucial boost to safety in critical situations,” Yildirim says.
Apart from the 1299 Panigale, Ducati’s new 1200 Multistrada will also adjust braking and acceleration according to the angle of lean. Bosch is supplying the MSC enhanced composite braking system as well as the lean-angle sensor and brake control function for this bike, while the traction control will again come from Ducati itself. Composite braking systems can brake both wheels, even if the rider only brakes the front or rear wheel. As the braking module for this system is considerably larger and heavier, it has so far mainly been installed in very large, powerful bikes. The great majority of motorcycles fitted with ABS use hydraulic modulators with two separate braking circuits. This means riders have to apply the front and rear brakes separately. These modulators are significantly lighter and smaller, and can thus be integrated into motorcycles more easily. The two new projects mean a further rise in MSC unit volumes. “Following KTM and BMW, Ducati is now our third MSC customer,” Yildirim says. “I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
MSC motorcycle stability control currently offers the best possible safety for motorcyclists. An additional lean-angle sensor measures the actual lean of the motorcycle, allowing the system to instantaneously adjust its electronic braking and acceleration interventions to suit the current riding status. This enables it to provide the best possible support, also in bends. Given that nearly every second fatal motorcycle accident happens in a bend, this is especially important. In this way, MSC can help in two-thirds of the motorcycle accidents that occur in bends due to rider error. By comparison, ABS can already prevent one-quarter of all motorcycle accidents involving casualties.
Motorcycle manufacturers can also expand MSC base with a number of optional features. For example, a lean angle-dependent drag torque control counteracts the critical situations that arise when drive torque suddenly increases or drops. The system can also adjust brake pressure on inclines. Furthermore, an off-road control can be integrated for rides on unpaved roads. The composite braking function in MSC enhanced offers the additional benefit of flexibly and quickly adapting brake pressure on the front and rear wheel to the riding situation. This further improves stability. And last but not least, Bosch offers a hill hold control function.