Defining suitable parameters for safe and effective deployment of a motorcycle Pre-Crash Braking system: findings from field testing and crash simulations

Research question / Starting point for investigation Pre-Crash Braking (PCB) is a promising technology currently under development, aiming to improve motorcyclists’ safety by providing automatic braking input and reducing impact speed in pre-crash conditions. However, the implementation of the PCB as a system that influences the motorcycle control, remains controversial from the perspective of the users. This study, conducted within the EC funded project PIONEERS, aims to define suitable parameters of intervention and technical requirements for obstacle detection for a safe and effective application of PCB. Methods First, a field test campaign involving 51 common riders as participants on two test vehicles was executed to assess the feasibility of different levels of autonomous braking intervention. The system was tested in the speed range 30-50 km/h while performing typical manoeuvres including straight riding and lane change. Second, 60 crash cases sourced from two different in-depth databases from Italy and France were reconstructed using two different 2D simulation software, to test various obstacle detection system requirements and evaluate the potential safety benefits of PCB intervention. Results In both straight-line riding and lane change manoeuvring, autonomous braking intervention reaching decelerations up to 0.5 g/s with fade-in jerk up to 2 g/s for a duration of approx. 1 s were considered manageable on both test vehicles by participants. Overall, the system intervention was tested more than 900 times with no loss of control. The crash simulation analysis indicated that a field of view of 80° and a detection range of 30m or higher can be adequate to effectively identify obstacles and trigger PCB. Tangible safety benefits were found to be achievable with several combinations of the analysed design parameters. Impacts / Effects / Consequences Our latest findings show that PCB still has to be considered among the motorcycle safety countermeasures of the future. In fact, employing design parameters within the up-to-date feasibility thresholds evaluated in this study, the PCB estimated effects had a relevant safety impact.