2012 Ducati Streetfighter Traction Control (DTC)
Bring a whole new level of confidence to your road riding style
Accessible
from the left-hand switchgear and displayed on the digital
instrumentation, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) offers a choice of eight
profiles, or ‘sensitivity levels’, each one programmed with a wheel-spin
tolerance matched to progressive riding levels of skill, graded from
one to eight.
While level eight administers a confidence-building, high level of
interaction from the system by activating upon the slightest amount of
wheel-spin, level one offers a much higher tolerance, resulting in less
intervention for highly competent riders.
Once the level is selected and DTC activated, both are displayed on the
instrumentation. The system then analyses data sent from front and rear
wheel speed sensors to detect wheel-spin. Should the system recognise
wheel-spin above a certain threshold, the DTC ECU instantly evaluates
the many possible wheel-spin scenarios before administering two types of
interaction in varying amounts.
DTC is able to sense the exact use that the bike is being put to.
From
slow mid-corner acceleration with considerable vehicle inclination to
high speed corner exits while almost upright, DTC is intelligent enough
to react according to each and every situation. It’s even smart enough
to not intervene if you decide to perform a burnout or a wheelie.
The first ‘soft’ stage of system interaction is executed by high speed
software that instantly makes electronic adjustment to the ignition by
administering varying amounts of retardation to reduce the engine’s
torque output.
During this initial stage of DTC interaction, both outer warning lights
on the instrumentation – normally used to signify over-rev – illuminate
to signify that DTC is being applied.
If the DTC software detects that the first ‘soft’ stage of system
interaction is inadequate to control the wheel-spin, it continues to
administer ignition retardation and instructs the engine ECU to initiate
a pattern of constantly increasing injection cuts until, if necessary,
full injection cut. During this second stage of system interaction, both
outer and central warning lights fully illuminate to signify that DTC
has also initiated injection cuts.
After either stage one (ignition retardation) or stage two (pattern of
injection cuts or full cut), the system incrementally returns to the
original ignition and injection mapping as the wheel speeds approach
equalisation. This carefully programmed return to full power delivery is
the real key to DTC’s smooth and efficient operation.
In developing its World Championship-winning traction control system for
road use, Ducati continue to demonstrate their strategy of transferring
technologies from their race bikes into the production environment, and
show how solutions developed for performance on the track really can be
applied to enhance safety on the road.
Both 2012 version of the Streetfighter, the Streetfigher 848 and Streetfighter S have DTC as standard equipment