Video: KTM's adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection in action

On hand is Vice President of Streetbike Research and Design Gerald Matschl, who gives an overview of KTM’s new rider assist projects.

ACC and blind spot detection are nothing new to the road. Even entry-level cars like the Mazda3 and Honda Fit can be optioned with the tech, but motorcycles are slow to adopt self-driving tech. That’s mostly because it could end horribly. 

KTM doesn’t mind the risky testing if the reward is a safer experience for riders. Automatically maintaining a safe following distance could save lives, and eliminating blind spots would be another rider protection milestone. But for now, their electronic systems are limited to the test track, where they’ll put the sensors and onboard computers through testing exercises.

Mounted to a 1290 Super Adventure R, the system features all the black boxes, wires, and LEDs you’d expect. “We have already a normal cruise control on our bikes, and we thought with more and more traffic on the roads, [we would] give the rider a little bit more safety, that he keeps a safe distance to the vehicle in front of him,” explains Matschl. Pick a target speed, select your following distance, and the bike will automatically do the rest using the throttle and brake. That sounds terrifying, but the test rider turns lap after lap with his hand held confidently in the air as the Super Adventure does its thing.

Of the two features, I’m much more interested in the blind spot detection system. OEM motorcycle mirrors always seem to have some shortcoming, whether it’s an annoying vibration or a perfect view of your shoulders instead of the truck tailgating you. Even when adjusted correctly, blind spots still need to be checked visually. Just like the systems found on cars, KTM’s blind spot detection uses sensors to monitor the vehicle’s back and sides, then alerts the rider when another vehicle gets close.

“As it is now on this prototype, we have LEDs mounted in the mirror, and if you look into to the mirror, and you see no vehicle is there, but still then the LED is on, [you’ll know that] something’s there,” said Matschl.

Matschl speculates that it’ll take at least three years to get both systems into production, pending “intensive” testing in real-life situations.

Does this mean we can we expect lots of right-hand waves from 2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure owners?