Safety for every segment
How Bosch aim to slash the number of bike accidents
We’ve become used to sophisticated electronic safety aids, with cornering ABS, traction control, and even radar-guided cruise control now becoming part of everyday biking lingo.
But now the field’s leading innovators, German giants Bosch, have begun to introduce strippedback versions of the latest flashy tech onto more affordable, sub400cc bikes with the aim of making life safer for everyone.
India’s TVS Motor Company (which also owns Norton) recently launched their Apache RTR 310 naked, fitted with a new version of Bosch’s MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control) so becoming the first sub-400cc motorcycle fitted with a 6D IMU-backed motorcycle stability control system.
In addition, the upgraded 2024 KTM Duke 390 uses a Bosch 3D inertial measurement unit (IMU), which integrates various functions via the firm’s MSC.
Now, the boss of Bosch’s TwoWheeler and Powersports unit, Geoff Liersch, has said he’s committed to supplying electronic safety aids to all motorcycles globally, to help prevent unnecessary deaths.
“It’s pretty simple for me. I would like to see 100% MSC systems on every single motorcycle that exists in the world. Why? Because we can save 30% of the accidents,” he told MCN during a recent interview.
“Our challenge is to get costs down so that the technology can be affordable,” he continued. “That’s what we will continue to push – to make sure that we get better technology at a lower price.
“In the case of MSC, we developed the system so that it now also covers smaller models, which are common in emerging markets, and is reachable for a wider group of motorcyclists,” he says.
Bosch’s MSC system works by
combining a bike’s ABS with a 3D or more sophisticated 6D inertial measurement unit (IMU) to moderate braking through bends.
The key development with the new TVS is that it utilises Bosch’s ABS 10 base unit, which is smaller and lighter (and cheaper) and thus better suited to motorcycles in emerging markets.
By comparison, the upgraded KTM RC 390 uses Bosch’s more basic 3D inertial measurement unit (IMU), but a more performanceorientated ABS system which includes an additional pressure sensor for more accurate control.
The company’s overall message is that Bosch now have a range of modular MSC solutions that offer different combinations of ABS and IMU depending on the application.
So, as another example, an even more basic and affordable MSC solution could be the combination of the ABS 10 base unit with the 3D IMU, which would still offer cornering braking and traction control but be available on smaller capacity machines.
However, although Liersch says he’s committed to supplying electronic safety aids to all motorcycles, he admits universal adoption will take some time.
“That’s the first of the lower cost MSC systems. Are we finished? No. Because we want to get to a point where it is basically cheap enough to fit it to all vehicles.
“Bosch created ABS for a motorcycle in 1990-something (1988 to be exact) and it took 30 years to get to where we are today. So, I don’t expect that we’re going to have 100% by tomorrow.”
Inertial Measurement Units are the sensors the MSC system. Basic systems operate over three dimensions (3D) or axes; more sophisticated versions operate over six axes and are known as 6D.
The new RTR 310, as well as being the first sub-400cc motorcycle to feature a 6D IMU-backed motorcycle stability control system, is also TVS’ top-of-the-range flagship machine, hence its choice for the MSC.
‘We believe we can save 30% of bike accidents’ GEOFF LIERSCH, BOSCH