Yamaha Motoroid 2
I’m currently in Japan as one of a fortunate few invited to take part in a series of activities that not only offer a glimpse into Yamaha’s future but also take us on an interesting journey back through the brand’s 70-year history.
The first of these special experiences that I am allowed to talk about saw me come face-to-face with Motoroid 2.
Motoroid 2 isn’t quite a motorcycle. It’s something else, an experimental fusion of design, robotics, and artificial intelligence that still embodies much of the motorcycling spirit, but in a new and innovative way. It’s best described as a design and engineering study rather than a concept intended for mainstream production.
The self-balancing technology is the most commercially relevant outcome from this project. Yamaha’s vision is that self-balancing elements will eventually first make their way into low-powered scooters, improving stability and accessibility for new riders. Yamaha has already showed this off in a concept scooter model dubbed the ‘ELOVE’.
Beyond motorcycles, Yamaha is also exploring how this balancing technology could assist people with mobility challenges, helping them move more freely and, in doing so, opening the door to a new group of potential customers who might never have considered a traditional Yamaha product.
That might seem at odds with Motoroid’s innovative upright, forward-leaning riding stance, but that is just one facet of what is a broader design experiment.
Encountering Motoroid 2 up close, it’s impossible not to feel that it possesses a kind of presence, almost as if it’s alive. When its cameras recognise your face, it comes to life, balancing itself and responding to your gestures.
There’s a distinctly pet-like quality to the way it moves and interacts, made even more engaging through haptic feedback in its controls. I know that sounds corny, but it is a character trait that genuinely is experienced when up close and personal with the Motoroid 2 and interacting with it.
There’s also a striking beauty to it. The interplay between matte finishes and translucent, illuminated elements on its extendable upper arms gives it a futuristic, almost organic appearance. It’s a striking creation, one that feels more like a vision than a prototype.
It’s undeniably special, and I eagerly await the opportunity to show you the next evolution of this remarkable concept, that incorporates some of the latest advances in artificial intelligence to further refine its already impressive human-machine interface. The next generation Motoroid will be publicly revealed early next month.
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