Initial road test and announcements

Updated: April 9, 2023

After several days of waiting for the cold streets to warm up, We finally had the chance to test the cruise control module on the road. Here is a detailed breakdown of how the testing went:

390 ADV: We found the KTM ADV 390 has a small problem. KTM doesnt broadcast the rear brake sensor on the CANBUS. This information is available on the older 1190 so why they removed it is a mystery. What this means is we will probably ask the user to make 1 T-Tap for that information or the user can forgo if they don’t see the need. Another interesting tip we learned about the 390 is the display is shared with the 790/890 which has an indicator for cruise. So if we can get some more information on how that indicators works perhaps it can even look factory. 

Turn Signal Adapter: The 1190 model uses three momentary buttons for the turn signals – left, right, and cancel. In contrast, the 890 model only uses two latching switches for left and right signals. To convert these signals, I developed a small printed circuit board (PCB), which has been working flawlessly after several hundred turns. As this is a simple circuit, I expect it to be very robust. However, this adapter won’t be necessary for the 390 kits since they also use the same two latching switches for turn signals.

CANBUS: The Canbus performed as expected, although it took several evenings in the garage to decode all the required messages. We can now access all the information we need in real-time, such as front and rear wheel speeds, RPM, gear selection, clutch sensor, brake sensor, and engine state. Oddly the 390 does not broadcast its rear brake sensor so some more research will be needed there. 

PID tuning: This is the part where we need more time and testing. PID tuning can be an art form, and we want Veridian Cruise products to be ready to use out of the box, without the need for calibration or doing your own PID tuning. Gathering data and choosing the right values will take many more road kilometers and recordings.

Analog: The analog system for this cruise control module uses the 5V power rail from the TPS system to keep the noise low. TPS sensors are very sensitive to noise, so all the analog systems operate on isolated circuits. Initial testing shows that we can intercept and re-broadcast our analog values with no problem. However, we need more road time to see if we can get it to throw any errors for our new injected signal. It’s important to note that when cruise control is disabled, we re-broadcast the analog values one-for-one, so any problems with the throttle grip are carried through to the ECU. With cruise control enabled, we generate our own signal.

Basic switch kit: The switch kit for this module is a simple 2-position momentary toggle switch that provides SET and CANCEL commands. It’s a budget solution for those who don’t need the resume function. The wiring harness and programming are available for all three commands if you want to implement your own switches. Ideally, you could mount the switch inside your existing switches or place them somewhere else in the plastics.

That should about cover the progress up until now. Please leave a comment with any questions or interest.