It's essential for motorcycle riders to be aware of what's behind them, and Suzuki is making that easier
(Image credit: Suzuki / Tokai Rika)
New cars today are crammed with cameras covering every possible angle and blind spot around the vehicle, but motorbikes far less so. The theory being that with no bodyshell and roof pillars restricting your view like in a car, the motorcyclist's vision is far less obstructed than the car driver's.
However, it's still vital to check behind you when manoeuvring on a bike, and to help with this Suzuki is developing a rear-view camera system for use on motorbikes. Rear-view dashcam devices can already be found from aftermarket accessory manufacturers, but Suzuki's implementation marks the first time a mainstream motorbike manufacturer has designed an integrated camera system for use in its bikes.
The system, developed in conjunction with Tokai Rika, will be fitted to the rear of the bike and will supplement conventional rear view mirrors to give the rider a wider field of view than mirrors alone provide. The camera's feed will then be displayed on a TFT screen integrated into the bike's instrument cluster. With such a camera system, a motorcycle rider is able to monitor traffic behind with less need to do a full over-the-shoulder / 'lifesaver' check - an action that would take his/her eyes off the road ahead for longer than simply glancing at a camera feed.
Of course it's imperative that such a system be totally reliable, and with the lowest possible video feed latency - any glitches or lagginess could put the rider in extreme danger. Suzuki is said to be working on sophisticated software that will be able to zoom in on the portions of the video frame in order to provide a clearer view of potential hazards and better inform the rider of his/her surroundings.
We don't yet know when Suzuki's system will enter mass production as it's still in the development stage, but this is nevertheless an intriguing example of cameras being used to improve the safety of motorcyclists.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
