Verge Motorcycles has long been at the forefront of the electric superbike scene and has literally reinvented the wheel with its powerful TS model where the electric motor is embedded in the rear hubless rim. No moving parts, maximum style points.
Now Verge wants to take it one step further by offering perhaps the most advanced HMI (human-machine interface) found on any motorcycle, anywhere, with the announcement of its Starmatter software and intelligence platform.
Starmatter is constantly connected and allows OTA updates, meaning customers can access new features and improve their motorcycle over time, without having to visit a dealer.
So far Tesla. But beyond that, Verge states that its future electric motorcycles will “use artificial intelligence and machine learning in processing data collected by advanced sensor technology.”
Full details on this side of things are a bit thin, with Verge only claiming that it has a range of sensors including accelerometers, GPS, 4G and Wi-Fi technology. This is accompanied by advanced machine learning to ensure the bike performs optimally and remains as safe as possible.
Additionally, Verge has enlisted the help of Epic Games and its Unreal Engine to create the graphics and user experience found on the large user interface embedded in the “tank” area of the motorcycle.
“With Starmatter we want to revolutionize the perception of the life cycle and intelligence of motorcycles,” explains Verge CTO Marko Lehtimäki.
“Normally, a vehicle is at its best when it is new, while smartphones, for example, receive completely new features that significantly improve their functionality year after year. We want to bring the same philosophy to the vehicle industry and guarantee Verge customers an intelligent and personalized offering. riding experience and always the best possible version of the bike,” he adds.
One with the machine
The idea is that Starmatter will allow Verge to push major performance upgrades to its machines via OTA updates and receive diagnostic information, potentially helping it predict problems before they happen.
Additionally, users can gain full, detailed control over how the bike accelerates and brakes, the speed at which it charges, and the way it delivers its instantaneous torque.
That said, much of this kind of functionality is already available on electric motorcycles, with Harley-Davidson offering numerous rider modes and rider customizations with its LiveWire model, and BMW offering similar controls via the futuristic HMI and accompanying smartphone app found on its CE 04 model.
However, Verge claims that connected motorcycles have only really worked at a “diagnostic level” so far, not making the most of its update capabilities and potential to offer additional content to customers.
Furthermore, Verge’s proposed machine learning could see true personalization of a motorcycle – one that gets to know the rider over time and begins to automatically adjust riding modes depending on the stretch of road ahead or how the user behaves on a certain road. day.