Is KTM working up radar-guided cruise control for smaller models?

KTM has filed patents that indicate that the Austrian firm is about to jump on the radar-guided bandwagon with its own brand of advanced cruise control.

The patent images show a small-capacity naked machine in the form of a 390 Duke, although the form of the bike isn’t really the point. Indeed, should KTM roll out this kind of tech on its production models, would they really stump for it on one of the cheapest machines in the range?

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What’s more important with the patent is the nature of the sensor, its positioning on the bike, and what is able to ‘see’ and relay to the bike’s central computer. It’s also worth noting that this is a front-facing mention of a warning system to the rider from vehicles approaching from the rear.

We’ve already seen KTM working up a system for the bigger bikes in the range, although until now didn’t have much of a clue how it would work. This new patent and the documents that go with it shed much more light on the subject.

Interestingly, the patent talks about a headlight and ‘at least one sensor’ pointing to the KTM system possibly using a combination of radar and lidar to measure distances and recognise objects. The patent also goes on to explain how the field of view of the sensors is able to detect vehicles or pedestrians encroaching from the side. This image is analysed by the onboard computer and is either classed as problematic or critical, in this case, KTM is planning to install a warning system to alert the rider, a bit like the orange warning lights you see on car wing mirrors.

Aside from the collision warning systems, the rest of the tech seems to work in much the same way as standard radar-guided cruise control: set the speed, set the distance to the vehicle in front, let the bike do the rest.