Development of LiDAR-based Motorcycle Collision Alert System (MCAS) for Small-displacement Motorcycles

Abstract

In Malaysia, motorcycle fatalities are alarmingly high, and crashes involving motorcycles striking a stationary or slow-moving vehicle on highways are not uncommon. This paper describes the invention of a collision alert system for motorcycles (MCAS) as one of the potential solutions for this type of crash. MCAS is a LiDAR-based collision alert system comprised of visual alerts, auditory alerts, and an automated phone call, activated at specified distances from the hazards. The visual and auditory alerts include light-emitting devices and the sound of the motorcycle’s horn. Four units of MCAS prototype were successfully developed and installed on four different motorcycle models (100cc – 150cc). The functionality of MCAS was evaluated at the GPS-measured riding speeds of 20 km/h, 30 km/h, 40 km/h, 50 km/h, 60 km/h, 70 km/h and 80 km/h. Overall, a 100% operational ability was recorded for LiDAR, GPS, visual alert, and auditory alert at different riding speeds. For the automated phone call alert, the operational ability was 88.9% for riding speeds of 40 km/h or slower but it was found to be less than 20% at higher speeds. In summary, this retrofittable collision warning system was found to demonstrate strong safety benefits and a promising level of operational capacity as a potential active safety technology for small-displacement motorcycles.