Samarth 619

After 'Active Suspension', BMW patents 'Active Seat'.

BACK when rear suspension was the exception rather than the rule in bike design, sprung saddles were pretty much all you could hope for to isolate your nether regions from the worst a pothole could do. Now BMW is looking at the idea afresh as part of its thrust towards the introduction of semi-active suspension.

According to new patent documents filed by the firm, the Bavarian company is working on a new seat with “a damper system under the seat surface that absorbs and reduces impacts and vibrations of the motorcycle on the rider or passenger.”

But it's not just a spring and damper, but an electronic system that effectively reads the road ahead and adapts the seat to cope with bumps as the bike hits them. The patent says that a sensor near the front wheel works along with the seat's spring/damper unit to adjust the settings in real time. Basically, as soon as the front wheel hits a bump or pothole, it sends a signal to the seat telling it just how severe the shock was and asking it to alter its damping to compensate before the shock reaches the rider. Clever? Certainly. Worth the additional complexity and cost? You decide...

Of course, the same set up would also be able to alter the seat's behaviour to account for the rider's weight and his own preferences, just as with any other adjustable damper. Surely a massage function would be just a step away.

Our guess is that this one will stay in the pile of ideas that don't make it to production.


Read more: Forget active suspension, how about an active seat? - Motorcycle news : General news - Visordown

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Guys, last time BMW was in news, they were working on an active suspension that adjusted suspension electronically when you braked, accelerated, etc. so that you can have a smooth ride.
Now, we have bump sensors which will make your seat 'spring into action' whenever you approach a bump or bumpy road.

Although last time, the active suspension was encouraged because electronic suspensions were already installed, it was just a question of tuning them correctly.
This time however, we have our reservations about how good this system can be, because its a brand new system. And will it be economically feasible? Will it make it to production models? Only time will tell...

ken cool

Interesting. But as the article suggests, this would probably never make to production!

Approved

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satyenpoojary

Active Vision, Active suspension and now this... damn they are making motorcycles boring :P

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nitrosatya

Moreover they are trying too hard! I would call it a christmas tree overkill. Someday they might also make a auto-steering bike!

Btw, BOSE already has an active suspension system.

AGM

Whoa!now thats some really futuristic stuff...the innovation truly justifies the patent..unlike our desi manufactures who get patents for "swirl inducted"engines and "sns suspension" and what not.

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driftjockey

BORING
what next? 'active' electronic rear view mirror? or may be an 'active' temperature controlled seat massager?

or may be an 'active horn' that peeps itself when it sees a pedestrian ahead!?
wait! thats a good Idea!

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surya220

That's already present in the current Mercedes Benz S Class.. Also, it has ACTIVE RADAR GUIDED CRUISE CONTROL, which slows down when the vehicle in front slows down and picks up to set speed once the traffic gets going..

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driftjockey

I meant for Bikes..

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princesirohi

well, it may make bikes "boring", but will definitely improve our rides.

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