Unique Features Which Became Common On Two-wheelers This Year

And you don’t need to pay through the nose for them either

2022 was the year that the automotive industry settled back into a groove post the Covid-related economic downturn. As a result, not only did we see more launches this year, but more importantly, better launches, with a wider array of high-tech features. So here’s our list of technologies which were thus far considered relatively rare, but are now on their way to becoming commonplace.

2022 was the year that the automotive industry settled back into a groove post the Covid-related economic downturn. As a result, not only did we see more launches this year, but more importantly, better launches, with a wider array of high-tech features. So here’s our list of technologies which were thus far considered relatively rare, but are now on their way to becoming commonplace.

1. Traction control  

We kick off the list with a frequently overlooked safety feature. This is especially apparent by the fact that in low-grip situations (rain, mud or sand), anything except calculated throttle action can kick out the rear wheel pretty rapidly. Traction control aims to stop just that, momentarily restricting wheelspin and keeping forward progress predictable, a boon to learners. Now, the first single-cylinder bike with traction control was the first-gen KTM 390 Adventure (from 2020), though the calibration on that was laggy, at best. However, since then there have been loads of motorcycles with traction control, among them bikes like the Honda H’Ness CB350, Yamaha R15 V4, and more recently the KTM RC390 and Yamaha MT-15 V2.  

2. Cruise control 

A nifty feature where the speed of a vehicle is kept constant for long periods without constantly keeping the throttle twisted open, cruise control is especially beneficial during long rides. Now, we’ve usually heard of this on high-end cars, but in 2022, this seemed to have become the mainstay of electric scooters such as the Ola S1 Pro and Hero Vida V1. That said, it wasn’t reserved only to high-end e-scoots, with comparatively cheaper ones like the Stella Automobili Buzz and Komaki Venice, and even a budget-friendly offering like the Avon E Lite offering this feature. 

3. Smartphone connectivity 

Again, this is something we would earlier see on costlier bikes, like the KTM 390 Duke or the TVS Apache RR310, or on premium electric scooters like the Ather 450X. Slowly and steadily, though, it moved to comparatively more affordable machinery, like the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, or the Yamaha R15 V4. However, now it seems to have become pretty common, whether on family scooters like the TVS Jupiter and Hero Maestro 125, or even commuters like the Hero Splendor Plus Xtec.

4. Voice assist 

This is another technology we usually see in cars, courtesy mobile-based apps like Android’s Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri. That said, Honda had tried to make headway of sorts, offering voice-based phone connectivity and navigation assist on the DLX Pro variant of the H’Ness CB350, though it wasn’t a two-way system, with the rider required to enter instructions on the phone screen.

However, a massive headway was made by TVS and its Smartxonnect app, with ‘true’ voice-activated assist, first on the Ntorq 125 Race XP, which then filtered down to Ntorq 125 XT, Ronin, Jupiter SX, and will now be seen on the top-shelf iQube ST electric scooter as well. 

Nevertheless, Honda will not be outdone, as it is currently perfecting the Smartphone Voice Control System, which it’ll no doubt roll out on all the smaller bikes sold under the BigWIng umbrella.

5. USB charging

The final, and arguably most convenient feature, is one which wasn’t as common as we would have liked. Granted, some scooter manufacturers (both petrol and electric) offered USB charging, usually as an optional attachment in the underseat storage. However, the USB port is now ubiquitous, from premium offerings like the KTM 390 Adventure, all the way to budget bikes like the TVS Star City Plus.