A Self-driving Bicycle Has Been Developed In Switzerland

It navigates around obstacles, brakes, and can drive to a customer.

A group of students from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has developed a bicycle that doesn't require a rider. It navigates the streets on its own, avoids obstacles, and brakes in time, according to PiataAuto.md.

The problem with such services, as the publication notes, is simple. A person rides to their destination and leaves the bike there. But that location isn’t always popular with other customers, so the bike can sit idle for a long time. In that case, the company has to send employees to manually move it to a busier location.

According to the developers’ concept, the smart bike solves this problem on its own: it returns to where demand is highest. And anyone in a remote area will be able to request a bike, and it will arrive on its own.

According to the students, it is precisely these logistical disruptions that most hinder rental companies from operating consistently and profitably. The authors assure us that their invention would completely eliminate this problem, while also expanding the service’s coverage area and helping to attract more customers.

As seen in the video, cameras and sensors are mounted on the front of the bike. The data collected is processed by an onboard computer—much like modern cars with autopilot do. The system recognizes objects and obstacles, determines where to go, and, if necessary, navigates around them.

The computer, as specified, turns the handlebars and applies the brakes on its own, while an electric motor helps the bike move, just like on regular e-bikes. To prevent falls, the design was supplemented with two side wheels, similar to those installed on children’s bikes for beginners.

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