2022 sees Bosch making motorcycle ABS in Thailand

With Malaysia’s ASEAN neighbour Thailand continuing to focus strongly on the automotive industry, 2022 will see Bosch producing motorcycle ABS systems in its Amata acility in Rayong, Thailand. Scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2022, Thailand will be the third motorcycle ABS international manufacturing site following Japan and India, reports Nation Thailand.

This follows requirements by Thailand in April 2021 for all new motorcycles produced after 2024 to be equipped with ABS. With its location in Rayong, Bosch is poised to support customer manufacturing operations, notably companies such as BMW Motorrad, Ducati and Triumph, all of whom base a major part of their worldwide motorcycle production in the area.

“With ABS10 light and base, we provide dedicated safety systems for the small commuter scooters and motorcycles that represent a major mode of transportation in ASEAN. Our customers will benefit from local production at an established plant that already has experience of producing four-wheeler ABS systems,” said Geoff Liersch, president of the Two-Wheeler & Powersports unit at Bosch.

Based on World Health Organisation (WHO) figures, Thailand has the highest number of road accident fatalities in ASEAN. The median number of road fatalities for ASEAN is 20.7 deaths per 100,000 population, while Thailand records a figure of 36.2 and accidents involving two- and three-wheeled vehicles account for 43% of all road traffic deaths.

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, motorcycle ABS is still not compulsory, although some manufacturers have voluntarily brought in smaller displacement models thus equipped, while larger capacity motorcycles have ABS as standard regardless of market. As far back as 2016, a source told paultan.org the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) is still in discussions with manufacturers about making motorcycle ABS compulsory in Malaysia, but there is no fixed date as yet.