QEII RIP
Heartfelt condolences have poured out from around the World with the death of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving monarch in British history (1952-2022), and a fellow gearhead.
Before she became Queen, in 1945 then-Princess Elizabeth was the first female member of the Royal Family to serve in the armed forces, joining the women’s Auxiliary Territory Services (ATS) during WWII at the age of 19 as a driver and mechanic. Her wartime training also involved gaining experience on two wheels, and she has been pictured riding motorcycles on numerous occasions.
Her majesty’s mechanical aptitude evidently passed to her grandchildren, as both Prince William and Prince Henry are well-known motorcycle fans, and the Royal pair once shared together a 1,000-mile charity ride on Honda enduro bikes across Africa.
May her memory reign eternal; and Long Live The King!
NEW STUDY REVEALS SELF-DRIVING CARS ARE NOT SAFE FOR MOTORCYCLISTS
A white paper analyzing the ability of self-driving cars to detect motorcycles has been released by the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), revealing several shortfalls in the autonomous technology.
Concerns remain that autonomous vehicles do not yet have sufficient detection capabilities to make them safe around powered two-wheelers (PTWs), and as the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) said, “reliable detection of PTWs by passenger car ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) is absolutely essential to avoid car-PTW collisions and to decrease the number of motorcycle accidents. Passenger cars must be able to appropriately recognize motorcycle maneuvers in ordinary traffic, such as weaving in, leaning while cornering or splitting lanes.”
The conclusion of the CMC paper is that it will be necessary going forwards for ADAS vehicles to have a “special focus on PTW detection” in their testing. “Under certain circumstances,” the CMC paper reads, “the detection of PTWs is challenging for ADAS due to the different way of motion, the slim shape and as a result the smaller radar reflectivity of PTWs compared to cars.”
The CMC considers that, currently, “one of the most effective ways [to improve PTW safety) is to improve conspicuity of PTWs by automotive systems.”
SELF-DRIVING CARS ARE COMING, SOONER THAN LATER
The U.K. government has announced that it is planning to introduce self-driving vehicles on the country’s roads starting next year, with full implementation planned for 2025.
As well as the 2025 goal for fully-self-driving vehicles, the government says that “Some vehicles, including cars, coaches and lorries, with self-driving features could be operating on motorways in the next year.”
“The benefits of self-driving vehicles have the potential to be huge,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. “We want the UK to be at the forefront of developing and using this fantastic technology, and that is why we are investing millions in vital research into safety and setting the legislation to ensure we gain the full benefits that this technology promises.”
The news of the UK government’s latest self-driving plans come after the United Nations (UN) announced in July that self-driving cars would be allowed to drive faster, but would also have to undergo more stringent tests to make sure they can detect motorcycles.
Ultimately, autonomous vehicles are very much a part of the future of transportation, and boils down to responsible legislators passing reasonable legislation, especially in the initial crossover phase when they mix with human-driven vehicles.
CALIFORNIA VOTES TO BAN NEW GAS CAR SALES BY 2035
California air regulators voted in August to approve stringent new rules to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035, and set interim targets to phase those cars out. The measure is a historic one in the US, and would constitute one of the first such bans worldwide.
These new California Air Resources Board (CARB) rules would also set interim quotas for zero-emission vehicles, focusing on new models. Starting with 2026 models, 35% of new cars, SUVs and small pickups sold in California would be required to be zero-emission vehicles. That quota would increase each year and is expected to reach 51% of all new car sales in 2028, 68% in 2030 and 100% in 2035.
California has laid out an audacious goal: In 13 years, it should no longer be possible to buy a new car that runs purely on gasoline anywhere in the state. Failure to meet those targets carries the threat of stiff penalties.
The rules would not impact used vehicles, allowing them to stay on the roads. The rules won’t be immediate, and will go into effect in 2026.
Multiple states are expected to follow suit, including Colorado and Minnesota, as well as states on the Northeast and West Coast that followed California’s previous zero-emission vehicle regulations. New Jersey and Maryland officials said they were reviewing California’s decision, while public comment has opened in Washington state on a similar plan.
NOTEWORTHY: OUT OF CHARGE — Immediately following the announced ICE (internal combustion engine) ban, in favor of electric mobility, a heat wave’s strain on the electrical grid led California’s Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s power grid, to issue multiple bulletins alerting residents to voluntarily reduce their power consumption by avoiding using “large appliances and charging electric vehicles” during peak usage hours.
NOTEWORTHY TOO: MAJOR HEATWAVE IN CHINA DISRUPTS SUPPLY CHAIN
“Supply chain issues” is now a commonly understood concept, ranging from the ongoing semiconductor shortage to shipping woes, but now a new supply chain disruption is rearing its head as China experiences the worst heat wave in recorded history, reaching triple digits for over two months and leading to industrial shutdowns to conserve energy.
Drought anywhere is bad news — but it’s even worse news in Sichuan, a major international manufacturing hub in central China which derives approximately 80% of its electricity from hydropower. As temperatures climb, the local government has instructed factories in various industries to shut down so that the available power can be used by the people living in the affected areas.
From EV batteries to steel and aluminum, a host of industries are being affected.
TEN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES DUE FROM HONDA BY 2025
Honda has announced its intention to add 10 electric motorcycles to its global lineup by 2025. Most models will be scooters destined for the Asian and European markets as commuter vehicles. For the United States, Europe, and Japan, four models are expected to debut in 2024 and are described as Fun EV Models.
Expect to see three street-legal plug-in models in the United States.
ICE-powered motorcycles are not done yet, though gasoline will have a lower priority as a fuel in Honda motorcycles. There are already E100 flex-fuel motorcycles in Brazil, and they’re coming soon to India. Honda plans on introducing E20 flex-fuel models in India next year, and E100-fueled powerplants in 2025.
In June, 2022, the state of Illinois announced the first round of its Electric Vehicle Rebate Program in 2022. That first rebate application period started on July 1, 2022, and will continue through September 30, 2022.
Unlike some other EV rebate programs (both past and present), the Illinois program includes used vehicles. It also includes on-road motorcycles — not just cars or other four-wheeled passenger EVs.
As for motorcycles, only on-road electric bikes qualify — off-road bikes and mopeds are not eligible. For all vehicles, only full electrics qualify — no hybrids. Rented and leased vehicles do not qualify.
On August 29, 2022, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency director John J. Kim announced the dates for the second round of Illinois EV Rebate Program applications. Round Two will officially open on November 1, 2022, and run through January 31, 2023. If you’re an Illinois resident and you won’t be able to make the deadline first round, that means you’ll have another chance for this rebate as the second-round caps off 2022 and charges into 2023.
“Here in Illinois, we are leading the electric vehicle revolution,” Illinois governor JB Pritzker said; “And thanks to our EV Rebate Program, we are making electric vehicle adoption accessible and cost-effective — putting us on the path to getting 1 million EVs on the road by 2030.”
BIG BROTHER MAY PUT AN END TO SPEEDING IN NEW YORK
Legislators in New York are mulling a bill that would mandate speed limiters in new vehicles that would be set to the local maximum allowable limit. The system, called “Active Intelligent Speed Assistance” (ISA) would use GPS and traffic sign recognition technology to determine the speed limit. New York City is already running a six-month trial with 50 vehicles from the city’s fleet fitted with an ISA system.
Introduced by Manhattan State Senator Brad Hoylman on Aug 12, if passed, would require any vehicle manufactured or registered in the state of New York to be fitted with the ISA system, starting from Jan. 1, 2024. It cites the results of a study that show such a system could reduce traffic fatalities by 20%.
The bill also calls for existing active safety systems like automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors with pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness detection, and even a data event recorder to be mandated from the same date.
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULATED NATIONS SET TO BAN ALL MOTORCYCLES
Nigeria — the sixth most populous nation in world — is set to ban the use and sale of all motorcycles in an effort to hamper the actions of terrorist ‘bandits.’ The federal government of Nigeria is strongly considering a ban on the sale and use of motorcycles across the country as an unusual new tactic to stop terror attacks.
Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, recently told reporters that by banning the predominant mode of transport as used by terrorist groups across the country, it would severely hamper their logistical efforts. “Placing a ban on the use of motorcycles and mining activities will cut the supply of logistics to the terrorists,” reports Nigeria’s Times newspaper. “This will be done in the national interest. We are Nigerians because Nigeria as a country exists and any issue that will translate into a threat to national security or the corporate existence of the country requires certain sacrifices.”
The plans come as Nigerian authorities attempt to curtail the efforts of various jihadist terrorist groups — such as Boko Haram and Islamic State — responsible for numerous attacks across the country, with offenses ranging from killings, kidnappings and sexual violence committed by members known as ‘bandits’ who mostly use motorcycles to launch attacks quickly and without warning to devastating effect, as well as move around the area without detection.
The actions of the federal government come after Governor Bello Mattawale of Zamfara State introduced a curfew for the use of motorcycles in the town of Gusau, and directed his security personnel to shoot on sight anyone caught riding a motorcycle between 8pm and 6am.
With a population of more than 200 million people, Nigeria is the world’s sixth most populous nation with an annual motorcycle sales figure of more than 500,000.
QUOTABLE QUOTE: “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.” ~ J.K. Rowling (b.1965), British author and philanthropist
