Autonomous motorcycles want to share the road with self-driving cars

But are they safe? And is there even a market for them?

An autonomous motorcycle.
(Image credit: David Becker/Getty Images)

First, car makers vowed to take the human element out of driving. Now, motorcycle manufacturers want to do the same. But just as the driverless car movement has faced its fair share of skepticism and controversy, it's not entirely clear that the world needs — or wants — autonomous motorcycles on the road.

What, exactly, would a self-driving motorcycle do? It would be designed to let the rider sit back and relax while the machine does the steering, braking, and turning. Manufacturers have actually been creating prototypes of self-driving motorcycles for years, and they're only just now beginning to share them with the public. For instance, AB Dynamics and AutoRD released the Autonomous BMW C1 in 2017, calling it the world's first self-riding motorcycle. It comes with autonomous software, GPS, sensors, radio controls, and rebalancing technology, and it can drive without a rider. Here it is in action:

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Lana Bandoim

Lana Bandoim is a freelance writer and editor. Her work has appeared on Yahoo! News, CNN iReport, The Huffington Post, Lifescript, Healthline, and many other publications.