Alpinestars Tech-Air 10 Autonomous Airbag
Press Release | April 13, 2022
The Tech-Air 10 is the latest innovative autonomous airbag to join the Alpinestars’ Tech-Air family.
The new rider airbag system provides comprehensive coverage, including the hips. It has an internal belt that automatically activates the System once it is fastened and secured. It is designed for track and road use and can be used in both the Race and the Street Riding Modes, which have specific AI crash detection algorithms. Its firmware can be updated with Bluetooth connectivity to a Tech-Air App when new crash-detection algorithms are released.
The Tech-Air 10 was introduced to the public at the recent COTA race weekend with live demonstrations. MSRP is listed at $999.95 on the Alpinestars website, in sizes XS through 3XL, but we don’t have a date for when it will be available for ordering.
Here is more from Alpinestars’ press release…
The Tech-Air 10 is the latest innovative autonomous airbag to join the Alpinestars’ Tech-Air family, which includes the Tech-Air Race, Tech-Air Street and Tech-Air 5 electronic Airbag Systems.
Derived from Alpinestars’ airbag technology adopted by MotoGP riders, Tech-Air 10 is a slim, self-contained wearable Airbag System that provides unrivaled body protection to racers, trackday riders and road riders by covering the rider’s shoulders, chest, full back and hips.
Tech-Air 10 can be worn under any Alpinestars Tech-Air Ready or Tech-Air Compatible leather suits, or any third-party leather suit with 4cm of space around the circumference of the rider’s chest and 2 cm of room around the circumference of the rider’s hips. The additional space for the chest and hips is necessary to be able to accommodate the inflation of the airbag, in the event of a crash.
Alpinestars Tech-Air 10 Autonomous Airbag Highlights
- Designed to protect a motorcycle rider’s shoulders, chest, full back and hips, Tech-Air 10 provides the most comprehensive coverage of any airbag currently available.
- The state-of-the-art, wearable Tech-Air 10 Airbag System comes with an active electronic System that features 12 sensors (3 triaxial accelerometers plus 1 triaxial gyroscope) and a crash-detection algorithm that leverages AI to accurately monitor when to deploy the airbag in the event of a crash.
- The impact absorption while wearing the airbag results in a decrease of the impact force by up to 95% compared to a passive protector.
- The Tech-Air 10 has CE certification Level 2 for both the chest and back.
- A remote wireless LED display indicates the airbag’s operational status.
- The integrated, certified lithium-ion battery has a battery life of 24 hours of riding time.
Alpinestars Tech-Air 10 Autonomous Airbag Features in Detail
- Developed from years of research with the world’s top MotoGP riders, and Alpinestars’ customers, data from millions of kilometers and thousands of crashes have been analyzed to continuously improve the intelligent crash-detection algorithm.
- Upon the detection of a crash situation, a protective airbag is deployed, providing unrivaled protection to the rider with a maximum inflation time of 40ms.
- The Tech-Air 10 System is extremely easy to use; just zip up the front and close the belt to activate the Airbag System, and you’re ready to ride. The internal belt automatically activates the System once it is fastened and secured.
- In Race Mode, the Tech-Air 10 System is active only while riding above approximately 37 mph for at least 10 seconds. Before this activation or when the rider’s speed drops steadily below such speed for at least 10 seconds, the System deactivates. This is the standard behavior of the Tech-Air 10 Airbag System when in Race Mode, as it is normal to have fast stop-and-go riding situations where the rider doesn’t want to switch off the airbag. In such conditions, it is safer for the rider to have the airbag automatically deactivated by the System to avoid undesired deployments of the airbag.
- There is a dedicated area on the System’s internal belt which serves as the charging base for the remote, wireless LED display. A fully charged LED Display operates for at least 20 hours.
- The remote wireless LED display can be moved onto the rider’s arm to easily check the System’s status. The LED display can also be attached to the bike, depending on the rider’s preference.
- The Tech-Air 10 System, requires approximately 4 hours to recharge a discharged battery with the supplied USB Charger. A fully charged battery will provide approximately 24 hours of use. If limited time is available, charging the battery for approximately 1 hour will provide approximately 6 hours of use.
- The System comes equipped with a USB charger and a magnetic Type C USB Cable that allows for quick, easy and convenient recharging.
- The airbag itself is breathable, designed with air channels and a perforated back zone that provide airflow to improve rider comfort.
- The Tech-Air 10 System may be quickly attached to the Alpinestars’ Tech-Air 10 System Base Layer via easy-to-use lateral zips; this allows riders to substitute the base layer between riding sessions if desired.
- The Tech-Air 10 System Base Layer is hand-washable.
- The total weight of the Tech-Air 10 (System and base layer) is 2.390 grams for a size medium.
- Tech-Air 10 is designed for track and road use and can be used with both the RACE and the STREET Riding Modes, which have specific AI crash detection algorithms. The RACE Riding mode must only be used for riding on closed racetracks and should not be used for any other types of riding.
- Bluetooth connectivity to a Tech-Air App provides riders with the Airbag System’s operational status, battery status and MyRide trip information.
- Via the Tech-Air App, riders can also update the System’s firmware when new crash-detection algorithms are released.
- The Tech-Air 10 Airbag System provides an even greater level of comprehensive coverage due to the additional protection of the riders’ hips and requires 2 argon gas inflators to fill the entire volume of the larger airbag when it is deployed in a crash situation. As such, Tech-Air 10 does not have the dual-charge concept like that of the Tech-Air Race System.
- The Tech-Air 10 System features an airbag that is certified for up to three inflations. However, after each deployment, when the System is received for service, the authorized Alpinestars Tech-Air Service Centre will perform an inflation test on the airbag to check if the airbag has been damaged during the deployment. If the inflation test is passed, confirming that the airbag was not damaged during the deployment, the service will involve only the replacement of the gas inflators. If the inflation test is not passed, it means that the airbag was damaged during the deployment, and the System will undergo the full service that will involve the replacement of the gas inflators and the airbag. At the third deployment, the System will undergo a mandatory a full service, with the gas inflators and airbag being replaced.
For more information regarding the operation of the Tech-Air 10 System, please visit the Tech-Air 10 product link at https://www.alpinestars.com/products/tech-air-10-airbag-system and see the Tech-Air 10 Product System Manual at https://www.alpinestars.com/pages/product-manuals