International Dealer News IDN 133 October/November 2016 | Page 13

news ROOM

Kawasakis with AI technologies?
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) is
moving forward with plans to develop
next-generation motorcycles that can
“grow along with the rider”. The
motorcycles will make use of ICT
(Information and Communications
Technology), including AI (Artificial
Intelligence), to achieve this goal.
According to a release by Kawasaki
USA, the motorcycles being developed
will use the Emotion Generation
Engine and Natural Language
Dialogue System - a form of artificial
intelligence that “enables man and
machine to communicate with
technology capable of recognising
emotion by the sound of the speaker’s
voice – a platform currently being
developed by SoftBank Group
subsidiary cocoro SB Corp.
The concept of this system would
involve the rider being able to talk with
t he AI-controlled system. This
communication between rider and
motorcycle will open the door to a new
world of unprecedented riding
experiences.
Accessing Kawasaki’s bank of
analytical chassis and performance
data, the system will be able to offer the
rider pertinent hints for enhanced riding
enjoyment, or relay information as the

situation dictates. Through advanced
electronic management technology,
having the system update machine
settings based on the rider’s experience,
skill and riding style will also be
possible.
This conceptualised system intends to

allow a relationship with the rider and
motorcycle. The more the rider and
motorcycle interact, the stronger the
bond, and this communication will
allow the motorcycle to develop a
unique personality reflecting the
individual idiosyncrasies of the rider.

This system is intended to give the rider
an all-new kind of enjoyment.
Kawasaki says these motorcycles are
products of its ‘Rideology’ philosophy its “rider-centric commitment to pursue
all possibilities to ensure that products
are fun and rewarding to ride”.