No To Throttle Control – On Facebook– It’s Not All Speed
27th August 2010
Right To Ride says that you can now support us against the “Throttle Control” of motorcycles on Facebook.
As previously reported, “EVSC (Electronic Vehicle Speed Control) is back with a vengeance through the re-introduction of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) – or – speed control system in a European Union (EU) Commission funded project called “Saferider”.
Of the five warning systems being developed in the project, the Force Feedback Throttle is the most dangerous.
When the bike enters a lower speed limited zone (e.g. riding from a 40mph limit through to a 30mph limit without slowing down) then the force feedback throttle will warn the rider that the bike is travelling too fast.
The throttle reacts by resisting the rider when trying to accelerate. When the correct speed is reached, the throttle returns to full control of the rider.
Throttle control is not all about speed, there appears to be a mistaken belief that, “The throttle on a motorcycle only makes bikes go faster and therefore safety can be improved simply by closing the throttle and slowing things down.”
Motorcycle trainer, Duncan MacKillop, says “The primary function of the throttle is to turn our bikes from something that is statically unstable to something that is statically and dynamically stable.”
“The secondary function of the throttle is to control our suspension. Most riders know that the forks extend when we open the throttle (..). Few riders appreciate that the rear suspension also extends when we open the throttle. This extension of the suspension when we open the throttle gives us lots more ground clearance which is essential in any corner as well as putting the suspension in its sweet spot.”
“Finally, the throttle does the relatively simple job of changing the speed of the bike. With an open throttle, a bike is more stable, has better ground clearance and has improved suspension function. With a closed throttle a bike is less stable, has less ground clearance and reduced suspension function. Of these two states, which is the safest?”
As riders we may not understand all the technicalities of the link between the throttle and the control and stability of the bike, but what we do know is that the balance of riding, accelerating, braking and cornering on a motorcycle requires full control of the motorcycle without interference with the throttle.
Saferider
We have written directly and presented a paper to the EU Commission Project Officer and Directors of the SAFERIDER project, setting out the reasons why we consider the Force Feedback Throttle dangerous.
Our argument in this paper is that any interference with the throttle will de-stabilize the motorcycle and place the rider in a precarious situation. We set out our reasons in detail why the development of this device – the force feedback throttle – must be stopped immediately and withdrawn from the SAFERIDER project.
The “Saferider” project has a myriad of partners which includes the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA), made up of 25 rider organizations across Europe, including the the BMF (British Motorcyclists Federation) and MAG (Motorcycle Action Group UK) from the UK.
Riders Organisations
The purpose of FEMA’s involvement in the project was to ensure that any device developed in the project would not take control away from the rider and this was made clear at the SAFERIDER User Forum by the former FEMA President Hans Petter Strifeldt in 2008.
We have been writing to these organisations over the last three months regarding this fundamental issue of rider control and have not received any positive feedback on what they intend to do to stop the development of this system.
FEMA reported in January/February that it has been active on the deployment of ITS in Europe, notably through its involvement in ITS-related research projects such as SAFERIDER and the European eSafety Forum platform to issue positive recommendations where motorcyclists are taken into account in the development, deployment and management of intelligent applications.
However in the latest June-July newsletter FEMA has commented on an EU Directive which is establishing a framework for the development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Europe that, “Anyone who ever rode a motorcycle or a scooter knows that the rider’s careful control of his machine will dramatically suffer from interferences with steering, braking or throttling. Leaving control to the rider is the best way to make sure he remains safe. That is why FEMA will fight for the safety of riders, using the best weapon at its disposal: plain common sense.”
TIME Running Out
At Right To Ride we have to ask, where is the fight for the safety of riders? When will its best weapon of plain common sense be deployed?
Urgency is required, because the SAFERIDER project ends in November when the final review will be presented to the EU Commission, when the deliverables (results) of the project, including the force feedback throttle will be seeking the EU Commission’s approval and support.
At Right To Ride we can only hope that FEMA has drawn a red line by saying - “No To Throttle Control”
Join Right To Ride on Facebook and say – “No To Throttle Control”
Links
Paper To – EU Commission project officer and the Saferider Consortium – pdf 37kb – Click Here 
No To Throttle Control! – On Facebook – Click Here
View the Right To Ride report – Throttle Control – Back With a Vengeance – pdf 210kb - Click Here
Saferider – List of Deliverables – 5.1HMI concepts and strategies – pdf 1.4mb - Click Here
Throttle Control – Back With a Vengeance
14th June 2010
Right To Ride reports that EVSC (Electronic Vehicle Speed Control) is back with a vengeance through the re-introduction of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) – or – speed control system in a European Union (EU) Commission funded project called “Saferider”.
Over several years speed control systems have been proposed to control the throttle on the motorcycle by removing the ability of the rider to accelerate when the motorcycle reaches determined speeds.
The EU funded Saferider project is moving system control technology forward with, Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) being developed for motorcycles in order to warn the rider of a potential crash or collision in a number of scenarios, including a variation of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) – or – speed control system.
Force feedback in throttle: A throttle with programmable return force is being developed. “In the project the motorcycle will be equipped with a force controlled throttle able to tune the return force through a servo controlled electric motor in order to communicate a speed reduction warning”.
The authors also state that “imminent warnings cannot be turned off by the rider. This is due to the fact that imminent warnings only occur in cases that lead to great danger for the riders’ safety (2008:61).
In spite of consultation at the beginning of the project with expert trainers who stated that ALL systems must have an on/off switch and that the warning systems being developed must not de-stabilize the bike or distract the rider, it appears that the trainers’ advice was dismissed or ignored.
Right To Ride’s, Trevor Baird, says, “From my experience of having ridden an ISA equipped motorcycle in trials conducted in Great Britain, I can only condemn the force feedback throttle as dangerous because of the propensity of the system to de-stabilize the bike.”
If the project consortium gets acceptance for the throttle control system – by default – because there is nobody to protest and nobody to challenge them, then what will stop the proposal of compulsory throttle control in the not too distant future?
Experience has taught us that when you work with the authorities and decision makers, it is always a good thing to define a red line that you will not cross – the principles which you will not compromise under any circumstance. The red line for Right To Ride is clear:
We say – “No To Throttle Control”
Information
Throttle Control – Back With A Vengeance – Right To Ride – June 2010 pdf 210kb
Saferider – List of Deliverables – 5.1HMI concepts and strategies – www.saferider-eu.org
Updated 9th July 2010
Right To Ride’s Trevor Baird, when with MAG in 2007, had the opportunity to ride a motorcycle fitted with throttle control.
Read what he had to say:
EVSC and ISA Motorcycle – MAG UK 2007 pdf 142kb
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