Production of the new Multistrada V4 has begun at the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale, the first motorcycle in the world to use front and rear radar technology. The Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer will officially present the fourth-generation model on 4 November. This model is one of Ducati’s most successful motorcycles, with over 110,000 units produced.

The new Multistrada V4 uses a new, light and compact V4 engine, designed to meet the needs required for ‘adventouring’ use without neglecting emotion and sportiness. The complete redesign made it possible to reach record-breaking maintenance intervals for the world of two wheels. All the details of this new engine will be revealed on 15 October.

Over two years ago, in April 2018, Ducati began testing radars on its motorcycles, bringing forward some of the innovations from its ‘2025 Safety Road Map’ strategy aimed at introducing new safety systems and technologies for the two-wheeled world. The adoption of these systems promises to be a true revolution for the world of two wheels, marking a new level of excellence in terms of comfort and riding assistance, especially on long motorway journeys.

Car-derived radar system filters down to motorcycles
Radars are advanced aid systems capable of supporting and making riding more comfortable thanks to the ability to reconstruct the reality surrounding the motorcycle. Ducati, which began work on this innovative technology in 2016, has now created a complete package of riding assistance using two radars, It has been  developed and produced in close cooperation with Bosch, its top-level technology partner, and sees its first application on the new Multistrada V4.

Each radar has compact dimensions (70 x 60 x 28mm, similar to a modern action camera) and integrates perfectly into the Multistrada V4, weighing only 190 grams.

The radar positioned in the front of the vehicle controls the operation of the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), which by means of controlled braking and acceleration automatically adjusts the distance (selectable on four levels) from other vehicles when riding at a speed between 30 and 160kph.

This car-derived system has been evolved and developed according to the dynamics and ergonomics of a two-wheeled vehicle. In particular, the authority of the system in terms of deceleration and acceleration has been limited in order to ensure the rider can maintain constant control of the vehicle in any situation. The system allows for more comfortable riding, especially on long motorway journeys.

The rear radar, on the other hand, is able to detect and report vehicles positioned in the so-called blind spot, i.e. the area not visible either directly by the rider or through the rear-view mirror. The BSD (Blind Spot Detection) system also signals the approaching from behind of vehicles at high speed.

To underline the technical-scientific value of the research project, carried out jointly by Ducati engineers and researchers and undergraduates from the Politecnico di Milano, a patent application relating to the control algorithms of this system was filed in May 2017. In June 2017, a scientific publication was presented at the IEEE - Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV) in Redondo Beach, California.