Harman unveils Ready Ride to cut OEM development time on connected bikes
Designed specifically for two-wheelers, the Harman Ready Ride system is a scalable telematics platform that is built to lower cost and complexity for manufacturers.
Automotive tech company, Harman, pulled the covers off its first dedicated motorcycle connectivity platform, called Ready Ride- but it’s not a product you or I can go out and buy, although it might be a feature on your next new bike.
The system is being touted as an all-in-one solution, that solves the headache of adding on-bike tech and connectivity to a new model. It effectively provides OEMs with a ready-made toolkit of technology, features, software and hardware, meaning bike makers have less to do when developing the bike’s electronic systems.
Harman claims that fewer than five per cent of motorcycles globally are connected via telematics. Yet riders still want navigation, media and security features. The most common workaround is to clamp smartphones to handlebars and hope vibration, weather and potholes don’t finish them off. HARMAN’s pitch is that bikes need motorcycle-grade connectivity, not consumer electronics exposed to the elements.
Ready Ride centres around a scalable telematics control unit (TCU), backed by a full software stack, cellular connectivity and an OEM backend. It supports over-the-air (OTA) updates and is designed as a packaged solution that manufacturers can integrate across multiple models and markets. The system's scalability should allow it to evolve over the bike’s lifespan.
Under the skin sit chips from Qualcomm Technologies, specifically its Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which is apparently tailored for two-wheelers. The unit is IP69 sealed to withstand dust and high-pressure washdowns, validated against motorcycle-specific shock and vibration loads, and designed to fit within tight packaging constraints.
Safety is where the platform could make its biggest impact, with Harman claiming that Ready Ride is designed to support Advanced Ride Assistance Systems, such as hazard alerts and forward collision warnings. It also features crash and tip-over detection and is eCall-ready, complete with a backup battery to maintain critical functions if main power is lost.
Planned security features include theft alerts, stolen-vehicle tracking, and remote immobilisation – tackling another persistent ownership headache.
Find the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com
In This Article
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
