Adaptive cruise control has been coming for a long time now to the two-wheeled world, and in the past couple of years we have seen more than a few European brands playing with the technology (all of which are likely working with Bosch to integrate this feature).
Already a staple in the automotive industry, now adaptive cruise control comes to the motorcycle industry, with BMW Motorrad being the first company to feature the tech on its bikes, which the company calls “Active Cruise Control” (ACC).
The name is self-descriptive, with the adaptive cruise control system using radar to judge the distance of a moving vehicle in front of the rider, and the adapting the speed of the motorcycle to meet that flow of traffic.
This means that a rider can set a speed on their cruise control system, and not have to worry about having to constantly readjust that speed according to the ebb and flow of the vehicles in front of them.
Coupled to this, the following-distance is also adjustable on the BMW system, which means that the adaptive cruise control will maintain a desired distance from the vehicle(s) ahead.
Of note, the adaptive cruise control system does not react to parked vehicles, which means that a rider will still have to control the bike’s throttle and distance when in stop-and-go traffic.
Another feature to point out is that the adaptive cruise control will also augment itself during turns, when it is necessary to maintain motorcycle stability when leaned over.
Available in two modes, with three pursuit distance levels, the system engages from the handlebar on the BMW, and works in concert with the Dynamic Cruise Control (DCC) feature already found on BMW motorcycles.
It is not clear when BMW Motorrad plans on making this feature available, and on what bikes it will be offered, but we can safely assume that the adaptive cruise control feature will be on the German company’s touring and high-end motorcycles, like the BMW K1600GT.
We would also expect to see 2021 model year machines featuring adaptive cruise control, when they debut later this year.
Source: BWM Motorrad
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