German manufacturer Bosch thinks that the use of jet thrusters could prevent motorcycle accidents caused when wheels start losing grip on the road surface. The anti-slip technology is still in the research phase, but its goal is to address situations where tires make contact with wet leaves, oil spills, gravel or other loose-traction surface conditions and begin to slip sideways because they cannot apply sufficient lateral force in a curve. The feature would add an additional external lateral force to keep the motorcycle more upright and on track, reducing the risk of a fall. During the detected slip situations, gas is quickly released from an small accumulator, similar to the inflation of passenger-car airbags. The gas is routed into the appropriate side’s tank and is then vented in a certain direction through a nozzle. Watch a prototype at work below.
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