Imagine a motorcycle jacket that vibrates when it senses you are about to have a collision or delivers that disco bass rumble in your gut when you play music in your helmet?
The Origin “haptic” jacket will come as part of a package with a Zenith head-up display helmet (HUD) when you buy the coming 240km/h Arc Vector electric motorcycle costing about £90,000 ($A160,000, $US117,000).
Click here for more information on the British Arc Vector.
The bike features “haptic” handlebars and seat that vibrate if they sense a crash or you try to merge into a lane where there is a car. Similar technology has been around in some cars for years.
Vector is also integrated with the Zenith head-up display helmet.
No further details are available, but there are several HUD helmets hitting the market with different functions.
Haptic collision warning
Their Origin jacket takes collision warning even further with haptic pads that vibrate.
It features different modes including “Dynamic” to “amplify the sense of excitement during a dynamic ride”.
Another is called “Euphoric” that produces that deep bass rumble.
While these are entertainment modes, Arc founder and CEO Mark Truman says the normal haptic mode that responds to crash threats can be used to “augment mirrors as a threat detection system”.
Riders will experience a buzz in their back or one shoulder to indicate the presence and direction of another threatening vehicle.
Vibrating haptic pads“The haptic jacket and high-tech helmet are designed to help meld man and machine into one,” Arc claims.
Mark says it allows the rider to keep their eyes on the road ahead. However, we would argue that a shoulder check is always advisable.
“People ask me if this could be distracting, but it is actually designed to be the total opposite,” Mark says.
“The tech frees you and your senses because the distractions have been removed.
“It allows you to concentrate on the road and your oneness with the bike, to just enjoy the moment knowing the bike is looking out for you and the information you need is right in front of you.”
So why provide entertainment haptic modes?
Arc Vector
Meanwhile, the 95kW Arc Vector has a top speed of 241km/h (150mph) and accelerates to highway seed in 2.7 seconds.
Range is claimed to be 190km (about 120 miles) on the highway or 274km (170 miles) in the city.
Only 355 bikes will be produced.
It features a lightweight carbonfibre swingarm and a new type of battery that makes the bike a claimed 25% lighter than its competition.
Vector also comes with custom Ohlins dampers and Brembo brakes mounted in the 6 o’clock position.