Being on its home turf, the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo was Yamaha’s chance to flex big with all of its latest ideas and design studies. Nestled among the myriad trikes, scooters and racing bikes, this MOTOROiD:Λ concept stood out from the rest.
Never mind how you might actually ride it, given it’s got no saddle or handlebars, the MOTOROiD:Λ (Λ for ‘Lambda’) is the third in Yamaha’s series of autonomous concept bikes. Described as a ‘manifestation of the future’s intelligent motorcycles,’ it’s designed to showcase AI functionality and control that could be used to augment the rider experience on future models. You can insert your own Tron gags below.
Where the first two MOTOROiD bikes focused on Yamaha’s self-balancing ‘AMCES’ control system, this has now been replaced by two new technologies: reinforcement learning and ‘Sim2Real’. The pair give the bike’s AI the ability to run countless virtual simulations of tyre grip, body position and terrain, and apply them in real-time, which has allowed it to learn how to control itself effectively.
The machine learning system, referred to Yamaha as the bike’s ‘neural network’, controls a ‘Muti Axis Body’ that has two movable axis controlled by electric motors. In conjunction with the drive motors mounted within each wheel, it can pivot like no other bike, and can extend its wheelbase to adjust itself to the terrain, as well as being able to stand itself up and move off on its own.
Look closely at the MOTOROiD:Λ and you’ll notice a patina of scuffs and scratches. Unlike the typical, ruthlessly buffed and polished show pieces, Yamaha instead elected to show off the countless falls and impacts the bike endured through the computer’s learning curve.
In fact, the bike’s surfaces have been prepared so they appear to weather with age. Inspired by a Japanese lacquerware technique known as ‘Negoro-nuri’, matte black paint sits over a blue alumite-treated layer. The electric blue colouring slowly becomes exposed as the bike picks up wear through use.
Yamaha isn’t finished with the MOTOROiD story, and has promised a development of the concept at the next Japan Mobility Show in 2027. Watch this space.
