by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com
Following a bunch of novelties on the motorcycle front over the past few months, Italian carmaker Ducati expands the scope of its business with the introduction in its 2021 apparel collection of something it calls the Smart Jacket.
The product, developed together with specialized company Dainese, uses the so-called D-air airbag technology, specifically adapted and branded to use with other Ducati gear.
According to the Italian bike maker, the device can be worn over or under any other motorcycle jacket, and it needs no physical connection to the bike to work.
The airbag system has everything it needs to function embedded in itself. It runs on batteries that can keep it alert for 26 hours at a time (recharging is made using any available USB plug). An electronic control unit is on deck, looking at available data 1,000 times per second to predict sliding, high-siding, rear-end collisions, or impact with other objects in front.
When such a scenario takes place, the control unit automatically tells the jacket to inflate along the entire surface, wrapping the rider in a soft shield that prevents them from being seriously injured. According to the specs, the protection achieved using this system is “equal to that of seven level 1 back protectors, without having any rigid protector inside.”
And it’s practical, too. “Ducati Smart Jacket is an extremely light and practical garment, which, once you get off the bike, can be easily folded and stored in a side bag or backpack,” say the Italians.
“In addition, another technological innovation introduced by Dainese allows the protective bag on the chest to be folded, to occupy a smaller area and thus allow the passage of air through the fabric of the vest.”
Ducati does not say anything about pricing for the jacket but reveals they are already available at dealers, in both men’s and women’s versions. Important to note is that the use of this equipment requires registration and activation.
