The Yamaha Motoroid concept is an intelligent, AI enabled, self-riding, self-balancing electric motorcycle that looks like more like a sci-fi movie prop than a fully functioning motorcycle concept. Is this the future of motorcycling? Well, it’s hard to say. The idea of being taken for a ride rather than being in control undermines the whole point of a motorcycle, but like Honda’s strange self-balancing concept, the idea of having a motorcycle that can follow you around like a dog is quite appealing…
This Is The Yamaha Motoroid
The Yamaha Motoroid was recently unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and it’s rather impressive. The futuristic concept utilizes new technology to allow the bike to remain upright – even standing firm when forcibly pushed – and it can drive autonomously too. The Yamaha Motoroid’s artificial intelligence is pretty clever, and it’s able to recognize its rider using biometrics and facial recognition and what’s more, it can even react to hand gestures making it able to come when called, start the bike, and turn it off.
Yamaha spokesman John Boreland explained: “The motor bike is the recent past, and the Motoroid is the future. The object is to see what lessons can be learned to connect machine to human more effectively.” And to make the connection between human rider and motorcycle even closer, Yamaha have designed the Motoroid with the help of psychologists, who came up with the idea for the strange wings that hug the rider’s rear. According to Yamaha, these rear wings gently squeeze the rider’s lower back when the bike travels at frightening speeds, and offers reassuring caresses to keep the rider calm. Which is…nice, maybe?
Boreland explained further: “Somewhere along the line, this will all meld together so you’ll be part of the bike and it will figure things out for you.” That being said, the future looks like it’s a long way off, considering that Yamaha’s other show piece, the acclaimed Motobot, is still proving that humans are significantly better riders than robots. As for artificial intelligence with motorcycles, it’s going to happen eventually, but we just hope someone manages to make something less annoying than Kawasaki’s current attempt…
Anyway, you’ll probably be pleased to know that the Motoroid is nothing more than a concept, and it’s definitely not for sale. For now.
