A built-in airbag makes the Ducati Smart Jacket not only stylish, but potentially life-saving too.
It is perhaps not a wild statement to make saying that riding a motorcycle is perhaps not the safest thing one can be doing. That is because unlike in a car where the driver is surrounded by a huge chunk of metal and safety tech, all bikers are in essence just strapping themselves atop pieces of metal that move very fast along the road.
Having said that, most motorcycles these days do usually feature a plethora of active and passive safety aids like ABS and traction control to prevent an accident from happening in the first place. Most riders too, especially those higher-end (and faster) motorcycles, wear specialised riding garments to protect themselves the best they could from injury in the unfortunate event of an accident.
On the topic of these riding garments though, it has to be said that they could be rather unwieldy due to the rigid protective material featured within. Happily however, that is not the case for the recently launched Ducati Smart Jacket.
What is an extremely lightweight and easy to store garment when off the bike, the Ducati Smart Jacket also offers protection that is equal to seven level 1 back protectors, without actually having any rigid protectors within. This is because this sleeveless vest has been developed in collaboration with Dainese, and as such therefore features the firm’s D-air airbag technology built into it.
Derived from the technology found within racing leathers worn by the MotoGP riders, the structure of the vest consists of internal micro-filaments that inflates in a uniform and controlled manner along the rider’s body to protect it from harm in the case of an accident. The activation of its inflation meanwhile is regulated by an electronic control unit with 7 sensors which analyses data at a rate of 1,000 times per second, and will cause the D-air to inflate automatically when it thinks the rider is sliding, high-siding or involved in an impact.
Continuing on the safety aspect, it is worth noting too that the Ducati Smart Jacket can be worn over or under any existing motorcycle jacket and it doesn’t require any type of physical tether with the motorbike. That is due to the jacket deriving its power from a built-in USB-rechargeable battery pack with a lengthy 26 hour battery life.
Available in various sizes for both men and women riders, this potentially life-saving Ducati Smart Jacket is now available at all Ducati dealerships around the world as part of the 2021 apparel catalogue. Locally, it is priced at RM 4,299 and is available from Ducati Malaysia.
PRESS RELEASE: Ducati is continuing its commitment to the safety of motorcyclists, which is reflected in the adoption of the best devices available on the market. In addition to the development of active safety systems on its motorcycles and the promotion of responsible riding courses, the Bologna-based company is also paying great attention to the clothing offered and, in collaboration with Dainese, now presents Ducati Smart Jacket: an innovative and revolutionary sleeveless vest which uses the well-known D-air® airbag technology of Dainese in a version with graphics made specifically for Ducati.
Ducati Smart Jacket can guarantee a high level of safety compared to the applicable standards, thanks to the research and technology used in the racing leathers of MotoGP riders. The result is a versatile vest, suitable for every motorcyclist and for all types of road use, available in both men’s and women’s versions and which can be worn over or under any motorcycle jacket, without requiring any type of connection with the motorbike.
The operation of the vest is regulated by the electronic control unit which analyses the data 1,000 times per second. In cases of intended engagement, the electronic control unit detects autonomously dangerous situations such as sliding, high-siding of a rider, rear-end collision, impact with another object or stopped-vehicle impact, and activates the rider’s protection system.
Thanks to the vest structure with internal micro-filaments patented by Dainese, the airbag bag inflates in a uniform and controlled way along the entire surface, creating a shield that wraps around the body and guarantees the protection of the declared protective areas. The bag offers protection equal to that of seven level 1 back protectors, without having any rigid protector inside.
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. It has a 26-hour battery life and, when discharged, can be conveniently recharged via any USB socket. 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.
