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Autonomous vehicles are set to upend the transportation industry, including how motorcyclists enjoy the roadways. This much, we know. But, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says that the effect might not be as large as we think it will be.

According to a recent study that they performed, the IIHS says that autonomous vehicles will only prevent about one-third of on-road accidents.

The work by the IIHS is interesting, though the study comes with some rather large caveats to come to its conclusion.

In an effort to improve safety for motorcyclists, BMW Motorrad has developed what it calls an “Intelligent Emergency Call” system, which allows motorcyclists to call for help with the touch of a button on their motorcycle

The system is part of a larger push in Europe for an “eCall” emergency SOS program that would alert emergency personnel to a vehicle crash with greater expediency and efficiency.

According to the pan-European eCall trial, systems like BMW’s can bring emergency services to a crash scene 40% to 50% faster, and the European Commission estimates that an eCall system like BMW’s could save up to 2,500 lives each year (saving €26 billion in the process, as well).

The BMW Intelligent Emergency Call feature has been available on cars in Europe since 1999, and by will be mandatory for vehicles in the EU by 2018. To aid two-wheeled motorists, BMW Motorrad hopes to bring eCall technology to motorcycles by 2017.

Aleix Espargaro has fractured a vertebra in a training accident. The factory Suzuki rider was out training on an off-road bike, when he landed heavily from a jump, and felt pain in his back.

He was taken to hospital, where an MRI scan revealed a flexion fracture of the vertebra, which will force him to miss the Sepang test planned for next week.

The injury suffered by Espargaro should not see him out of action for long. The Spaniard was discharged from hospital on Friday morning, and will now have to rest for a two to three week period to allow him to recover.

We don’t know exactly how this story started, but as the video commences we see a motorcyclist sitting on his bike between two cars. With words being exchanged and the situation already rapidly deteriorating, the biker kicks the car. The driver then rams the biker, knocking the bike over. Now on the ground, the biker gets up and walks towards the car, eyeballing the driver on the way there. The rest? You’ll have to see for yourself to believe. Needless to say, Brazilians know how to road rage.

Performing at the Shrine Circus in Saginaw, Michigan, a motorcycle jump goes horribly wrong under the big top. There’s some not so safe for work audio from the audience member who took this video, but you’ve got to hand it to the circus’ ringmaster for keeping the crowd calm and the situation under control. We are happy to report that the rider in question survived the incident, and only suffered a broken femur from his 25 foot fall. Investigators believe a wire may have been hung too low in the circus tent (not to state the obvious).

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As far as motorcycle stunt shows go, this one started out as one of the better we’ve seen in a while (we appreciate some showmanship in our stunt shows, rather than a rider aimlessly popping wheelies for hours on end). As you’ll see in the video after the jump, this show at the Beto Carrero World theme park in Brazil starts out well-timed, well-choreographed, and well-executed.

Of course it goes without saying that we’re showing you this post because all that changes at the end of the clip. For those concerned, we hear that the fallen rider had no major injuries, and even showed up for work the next day. We’d still try to make a workers’ comp. claim for that lost half-day though.

After a tragic accident involving Marco Simoncelli, Colin Edwards, and Valentino Rossi, MotoGP has decided not to resume the Malaysian GP. The decision came down as Marco Simoncelli battled for his life at the track-side medical center, with Race Direction stating that it would be inappropriate to restart the race while Simoncelli was in such a precarious position medically. Succumbing to his injuries shortly after the cancellation was announced, heartbreak swept the paddock with the news that Marco Simoncelli died at the age of 24.

We don’t really know how this accident happened on the byway (it’s hard not to notice a motorcycle that you sat behind at a traffic light just seconds earlier), but we’re pretty sure of two things: 1) that Suzuki is a total loss, and 2) the rider’s face plant into the Mitsubishi SUV will buff right out. It’s amazing that his rear-end job didn’t result in a worse outcome for the motorcyclist (from what we can tell at least). Thank goodness for ATGATT.

Source: Jalopnik