Motorcycles with jet thrusters. Yep, that got your attention. Now, they don't actually propel the thing forward, but they're still really cool as they could save you some nasty injuries and expensive repairs.
The thrusters in question were developed by Bosch and are designed to keep a motorcycle and its rider from sliding and crashing when cornering over a slick or loose surface. The thrusters are on either side for corners in either direction. When an onboard sensor detects the tires sliding laterally over a certain point, it activates little gas generators like those in airbags. The gas is vented out the corresponding side to push in the opposite direction that the tires are sliding.
It sounds like total science fiction, so we're glad that Bosch actually provided video of the technology in action. In the video above, you can see how the bike would have slid out from underneath the rider if it weren't for the outriggers. On the next pass with the gas jet, you can see that the bike is much more stable. Bosch didn't say how close to production the technology is, but we wouldn't be surprised if it started showing up on motorcycles in the near future.
