The service will see Origin, Cruise’s proprietary AV designed for robotaxi use, pick up customers at a specified location and drive them to their destination. Much like Cruise’s existing service in the U.S., the Tokyo service will operate through a dedicated smartphone app which customers will use throughout the process – from hailing the robotaxi to paying for rides. The Origin AV itself was jointly developed by GM, Cruise, and Honda, and enabled by a multi-year partnership between GM and Honda – who in 2018 committed to investing $2 billion (€1.8 billion) into Cruise over a 12-year period. Inside, the AV does not have a driver seat or steering wheel – offering enhanced cabin space for up to six passengers, with three seats at both ends of the vehicle that allow these passengers to sit face to face.

For Cruise, the announcement marks a key step as its Origin AV enters a new international market. The expansion follows the GM subsidiary’s growth in the U.S., where its robotaxi service began limited operations in San Francisco before receiving the necessary permit to operate more regularly in the city. This service then expanded further across the country, with operations in select areas of Austin, Houston, and Phoenix alongside testing in Dallas, Nashville, and Los Angeles.

Targeting Tokyo, the robotaxi service spawned from the JV will aim to offer a new mobility experience for a broad range of customers in Japan – including businesspeople, families, and visitors. At launch, the companies will leverage a small fleet of Cruise Origin AVs to carry out operations, before increasing the size of this fleet to 500 units. Following this increase, GM, Cruise and Honda will then look to scale the service – extending its reach to areas outside of central Tokyo. Through it, the companies are ultimately aiming to address mobility issues currently facing Japan – such as the country’s shortage of bus and taxi drivers. In supporting the service and helping it to scale, GM, Cruise and Honda will continue to strengthen its partnerships with various stakeholders, including municipal governments and transportation service providers local to the Japan region.

The announcement of the JV and its robotaxi service was made at a special press event held by Honda ahead of the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, where the Cruise Origin will be displayed at the OEM’s booth. The announcement also represents the latest step in a longer collaboration between GM and Honda that began in 2013 through the joint development of hydrogen fuel cell systems. This continued in 2020 as the Cruise Origin was revealed, before the companies more recently announced plans to co-develop cost-effective EVs for the North America market.

The expanded ADAS functions will together support Honda’s global vision to achieve various targets before 2050 – including zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda vehicles, and carbon neutrality across its products and corporate activities. Launching first for China in 2024, the next generation of Honda Sensing 360 will leverage new technologies that detect abnormal conditions in the vehicle’s surroundings to reduce the likelihood of a collision.

In accelerating the advancement of Honda Sensing Elite, its flagship ADAS with advanced technologies, the OEM will provide new features that encourage safe driving on a greater variety of road types – including non-expressways. Further features include a hands-off function, accessible when driving through a traffic jam on arterial roads. This hands-off functionality will extend to merging onto and exiting from an expressway at a road junction, while another new feature will assist the driver by automatically parking in and driving out of a home garage.

Supporting these features is Honda’s own AI system, which leverages machine learning techniques to increase its capabilities. Over time, it can begin to recognize more complex scenes and handle driving scenarios that occur in complex environments.

Specific launch plans for the next generation of Honda Sensing Elite have not yet been announced.

More and more autonomous driving vehicles and vehicles equipped with driver assistance functions have been released to the market in recent years, and along with such trends, the needs are increasing for technologies that enable real-time updating of the ECU software version and functional upgrades via a network, in order to improve the usability of ECU software upgrades. The new model Legend is equipped with a traffic jam pilot function that achieved Automated Driving Level 3 on highways, and the AD ECU and OTA Unit from Hitachi Astemo support the updating of functions among other things. In addition, wireless (over-the-air) updating of the AD ECU’s vehicle control software is achieved via the OTA Center provided by the Hitachi Group.

By providing advanced mobility solutions that improve safety and comfort as well as enhance environmental protection, Hitachi Astemo will increase social, environmental, and economic value in order to realize a sustainable society, contribute to improved quality of life, and enhance corporate value.

AutoX is the frontrunner of Level 4 autonomous driving in China. In this partnership, Honda will adopt and leverage on AutoX’s cutting-edge technology and rich experience in the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in the most populated cities in China. 

Through the test, Honda aims to deepen understanding of China’s traffic environment, establish the public acceptance and safety of autonomous driving technology, as well as to seek new autonomous driving technology solutions.

Honda is a global leader in the automotive industry. Honda is accelerating the evolution of intelligent technology that enables “zero traffic collision fatalities by 2050.”  In China, Honda began to apply “Honda SENSING” to its wide range of products from 2015, and is currently preparing for the “Next generation Honda SENSING.” In March, Honda launched the first mass-production vehicle compatible with autonomous technology Level 3 in the Japanese market.

As the frontrunner of Level 4 driverless RoboTaxis in China, AutoX has the mission of ‘Democratizing Autonomy’ to provide universal access to transportation of people and goods. This year in January, AutoX launched the world’s second, and China’s first and only fully driverless RoboTaxi service that is open to the public. AutoX has been testing and deploying driverless RoboTaxis in China since April 2020 in the city of Shenzhen.

AutoX is operating over 100 RoboTaxis in China’s most populated cities, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Wuhan. The company’s AutoX Driver platform is capable of handling the densest and most dynamic traffic conditions in urban cities around the world. In July 2020, AutoX obtained the second fully driverless RoboTaxi permit from California’s DMV, making it the first driverless permit holder from China. The AutoX RoboTaxi service in Shanghai is available for any public riders through an app.

Through their partnership with the University of Michigan’s Mcity, a test bed for connected and autonomous vehicles, Honda and Verizon are teaming up to research how new connected safety technology using 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) could ensure fast, reliable communication between road infrastructure, vehicles and pedestrians sharing the road, thus reducing collisions and saving lives.

Super-fast, reliable and low-latency data transmission at the edge of the network is essential for connected vehicle safety. Verizon’s 5G and MEC platforms bring the power of the cloud closer to the vehicle,  lowering latency, offering massive bandwidth, and improving communications and connectivity between drivers, other cars, traffic lights, pedestrians and emergency vehicles to improve threat detection and avoid accidents when seconds matter most.

Since 2017, Honda has been developing a technology to realize a collision-free society called SAFE SWARM. Using Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) communication, Honda SAFE SWARM enables vehicles to communicate with other road users and share key information such as location, speed, and vehicle sensor data. One limitation of this approach is the need to outfit each vehicle with onboard artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The use of 5G helps move the AI capabilities from the vehicle to the MEC, reducing the need for AI onboard each vehicle.

Using Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband, MEC and V2X software platforms, Honda and Verizon explored three safety scenarios:

• Pedestrian Scenario: A pedestrian is crossing a street at an intersection. An approaching driver cannot see the pedestrian due to a building obstructing the view. Smart cameras mounted in the intersection relay information to MEC using the 5G network. Verizon’s MEC and V2X software platforms detect the pedestrian and vehicle and determine the precise location of road users assisted by Verizon’s Hyper Precise Location services. A visual warning message is then sent alerting the driver of the potential danger.
• Emergency Vehicle Warning Scenario: A driver cannot see an approaching emergency vehicle and cannot hear its siren due to the high volume of in-vehicle audio. Verizon’s MEC and V2X software receive a safety message from the emergency vehicle and send a warning message to nearby vehicles. The driver receives a visual warning.
•  Red Light Runner Scenario: A vehicle fails to stop at a red light. Using data from the smart cameras, MEC and V2X software detect the vehicle and send a red-light-runner visual warning message to other vehicles approaching the intersection.

Each research scenario demonstrates the potential of 5G and MEC to communicate urgent safety messages between vehicles and infrastructure, reducing the need for complex computing onboard each connected vehicle. In the future, this connected vehicle technology could help ensure that autonomous vehicles will be able to communicate seamlessly.

Striving to realize a collision-free society based on its global safety slogan, “Safety for Everyone,” Honda has long been at the forefront of the research and development of safety technologies. The introduction of the Legend equipped with Honda SENSING Elite represents the next step forward in the area of advanced safety technology.

Honda SENSING Elite is a variation of Honda SENSING, a suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies currently available on Honda vehicles around the world. The name “Elite” represents the outstanding and “elite” technologies included in this latest variation.

One of the “elite” technologies featured is the “Traffic Jam Pilot” function, an advanced technology qualifying for Level 3 automated driving (conditional automated driving in limited area), for which Honda has received type designation from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Traffic Jam Pilot technology enables the automated driving system to drive the vehicle, instead of the driver, under certain conditions such as when the vehicle is in congested traffic on an expressway.

Key features of Honda SENSING Elite

‘Hands-off’ Functionality

While driving with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) activated, when certain conditions are satisfied on an expressway, the system will assist the driving operations even while the driver has their hands off the steering wheel.

• Adaptive in Lane Driving:

The system assists with the driving of the vehicle and following of vehicles detected ahead within a recognized lane. The system drives the vehicle along the middle of the detected lane while maintaining the pre-set vehicle speed. When a car is detected in front, the system assists in following while maintaining a proper following distance.

• Active Lane Change Assist with Hands-off Function (Driver assessment)

When Adaptive in Lane Driving is activated, once the driver confirms it is safe to change lanes and activates the turn signal, the system provides throttle, braking and steering inputs necessary to accomplish the lane change.

• Active Lane Change with Hands-off Function (System assessment)

When Adaptive in Lane Driving is activated, once the driver switches on the Active Lane Change with Hands-off Function, the system assesses the situation and assists the lane change and/or passing of the other vehicles under certain conditions. When the system detects a car in front being driven at low speed, the system notifies the driver and then assists with the passing of the vehicle and the return to the original lane.

Traffic Jam Pilot

While driving using the Adaptive in Lane Driving, if the vehicle gets caught in traffic congestion, under certain slow speed conditions the system can take control of acceleration, braking and steering while monitoring the vehicle’s surroundings on behalf of the driver. The system drives, stops, and resumes driving within the same lane while maintaining a proper following interval in accordance with the speed of the vehicle detected ahead. While the vehicle is under the control of the system, the driver can watch television/DVD on the navigation screen or operate the navigation system to search for a destination address, which helps mitigate driver fatigue and stress while driving in a traffic jam.

• Emergency Stop Assist:

If the driver is unresponsive to multiple system requests for a handover (the transfer of control back to the driver), the system assists deceleration and stopping of the vehicle by making lane change(s) to the outermost lane or the shoulder of the road. To be more specific, in cases where the driver does not respond to the system’s handover requests, the Traffic Jam Pilot/Hands-off Function will be disengaged, and the system will further urge the driver to respond to the handover request using visual, auditory and tactile alerts including escalated alarm sounds and vibration on the driver’s seatbelt. If the driver continues to be unresponsive, the system will assist deceleration and stopping of the vehicle while alerting other vehicles around using hazard lights and the horn. When there is a road shoulder, the system assists deceleration and lane changes until the vehicle reaches the shoulder of the road for a safe stop.^*3

Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

The interface enables the driver to instantaneously recognize the operating status of the system, the driving situation and any handover requests issued by the system. Honda SENSING Elite indicator lights are positioned on the steering wheel, the top part of the navigation screen and glovebox. When the Hands-off Function is activated, the indicator light on the steering wheel illuminates, and when Traffic Jam Pilot is activated other indicator lights also come on with a blue light. When the system requests a handover to the driver, all indicator lights change their color to orange and blink to send an easy-to-understand message to the driver. The large 12.3-inch, full-LCD meter also displays the operating status of the system, driving situation and the handover requests in a simple yet expressive manner.

Limited leasing of the Honda Legend Hybrid EX commences in Japan on March, 5, 2021.

Based on Honda’s “Safety for Everyone” approach, all Accord models provide the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment on all trim levels, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Pedestrian Detection; Forward CollisionWarning; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Honda Sensing® is now standard or available on all new Honda models, equipped on nearly 4 million Honda vehicles on U.S. roads today.

All Honda vehicles also benefit from Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, designed to help protect occupants in a wide variety of frontal collisions, along with advanced supplemental restraint systems.

To qualify for a 2020 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, a vehicle must earn “GOOD” ratings in six crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. It also needs “ADVANCED” or “SUPERIOR” ratings for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, as well as “ACCEPTABLE” or “GOOD” headlight ratings across all trim levels.

The 2019 Passport, which is derived from the larger Honda Pilot, earns good ratings in five crashworthiness evaluations and an acceptable rating in the passenger-side small overlap front crash test.

The SUV comes standard with a superior-rated front crash prevention system. In IIHS track tests, the system avoided a collision in the 12 mph test and reduced its impact speed by an average of 12 mph in the 25 mph test. It has a forward collision warning component that meets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s criteria.

The Passport’s two available headlight systems both earn acceptable ratings for models built after June 2019. Both rate poor for Passports built earlier, meaning earlier models don’t qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. High-beam assist, a system that automatically switches between high beams and low beams, depending on the presence of other vehicles, is a standard feature with all headlights.

To qualify for a 2019 TOP SAFETY PICK award, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. It also needs an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and a good or acceptable headlight rating.

The Passport joins seven other 2019 models from Honda in the winner’s circle. Six earn TOP SAFETY PICK awards, and one — the 2019 Insight — earns the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.

Honda has announced U.S. sales of vehicles equipped with the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies has reached the one-million mark. Honda also will have standard Honda Sensing across the entire lineup by the 2022 model year.

In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes, together with the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), which publishes scientific studies of insurance data, issued a study on the effectiveness of Honda Sensing that determined its application resulted in significant reductions incollision claim severity, claim rates for damage to other vehicles or other property, and claim rates for injuries to people in other vehicles or others on the road.

The IIHS study looked at more than 327,000 total insured vehicle years¹ of 2016 model-year Accords, Civics and Pilots since this was the first model year Honda Sensing was available as an option on all trims². The 2016 model-year vehicles in the population without Honda Sensing served as the control vehicles in the study. When looking at the benefits of Honda Sensing, particularly the utility of the Forward Collision Warning and Collision Mitigation Braking System (with automatic emergency braking or AEB), the study concluded that even if a crash is not avoided, it is likely the striking vehicle at least slowed before the crash due to those systems, and noted the likelihood of injury is reduced when speed is reduced. The top findings of the study were:

• Collision claim severity is down $379 for the Honda Sensing equipped vehicles compared to those without the technology
• Damage to other vehicles or other property claim frequencies dropped nearly 11 percent for the Honda Sensing equipped vehicles compared to those without the technology
• Injuries to people in other vehicles or others on the road claim frequencies declined about 28 percent for the Honda Sensing equipped vehicles compared to those without the technology

The Honda Sensing application rate has more than doubled from 2016 to 2017 to more than 50,000 vehicles per month in the past year, and now is applied on 69 percent of 2018 model-year vehicles. As a result, Honda plans to meet the voluntary commitment between the U.S. Department of Transportation, IIHS and 20 automakers to make AEB standard on at least 95 percent of all models two years earlier than the agreed upon year of 2022.

Furthermore, Honda’s rapid deployment of these technologies and plans for application of Honda Sensing as standard equipment on all 2022 model-year vehicles goes beyond the voluntary commitment of just AEB. Honda’s plans, by contrast, encompass the full suite of Honda Sensing technologies, including:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) – can apply brake pressure when an unavoidable collision is determined
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW) – can detect the presence of vehicles in front, activating audio and visual alerts to warn the driver if they are at risk of collision
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS) – can help bring the vehicle back to the center of a detected lane when unindicated lane drift is determined
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) – can adjust steering and braking if you cross detected lanes without signaling
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) – can maintain a set following interval behind detected vehicles as well as maintain a set speed

Honda Sensing is standard equipment today on the 2018 Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, 2018 Clarity Fuel Cell, 2017 Clarity Electric, 2018 Accord, just-launched 2018 Accord Hybrid, and will be standard on the 2019 Insight hybrid sedan, slated for introduction later this year. The technology is available today on the 2018 Honda Fit, Civic Sedan, Coupe and Hatchback, CR-V and Pilot sport-utility vehicles, Odyssey minivan and Ridgeline pickup.

Source: Honda USA

IIHS researchers have been studying their co-workers as they try to understand how drivers react to vehicle features that help them with some aspects of driving. A new analysis of employee test drives looks at reactions to adaptive cruise control and active lane keeping. It suggests people are most comfortable with systems they believe make smooth, gradual movements and are wary of using the features in the most challenging driving conditions.

Automation has the potential to eliminate many crashes by removing human error from the equation. While fully automated vehicles are a long way off, existing features like adaptive cruise control and active lane keeping automate parts of the driving task. Whether or not those features make roads safer depends in part on whether drivers accept and opt to use them.

Fifty-one IIHS and HLDI employees drove one of five vehicles — a 2017 Audi A4, a 2017 Audi Q7, a 2016 Honda Civic, a 2016 Infiniti QX60 and a 2016 Toyota Prius — equipped with adaptive cruise control, among other features. Adaptive cruise control maintains a set speed and a set following distance from the vehicle in front of it. Three of the vehicles — the two Audis and the Civic — also had active lane keeping, which provides sustained steering input to keep the vehicle within its lane.

The volunteers used the vehicles for periods ranging from one day to three weeks. They were given instruction in use of the features and were asked to drive with the technology activated all the time. Afterward, the drivers answered questions about their opinions of the features.

An earlier study using IIHS-HLDI employee volunteers measured driver trust in various features. It found that drivers trusted side-view assist the most and active lane keeping the least. Adaptive cruise control was in the middle.

Overall, drivers in the new study viewed both adaptive cruise control and active lane keeping somewhat positively. For the Audi A4 and Q7 the adaptive cruise control was viewed more positively than active lane keeping, though the opposite was true for the Honda Civic.

The volunteers preferred adaptive cruise control systems that they felt made smooth, gradual changes and consistently detected moving vehicles ahead. They also preferred active lane keeping that they thought made infrequent steering corrections.

“Even with automation, drivers want to feel like they’re in control of the vehicle,” says David Kidd, an IIHS senior research scientist and lead author of the study. “They want these features to fit into their driving style instead of imposing a different driving style on them.”

Drivers said they would be more comfortable using the features in light traffic and on interstates than in stop-and-go traffic and on local roads — conditions under which crashes are more likely. Most current systems aren’t designed to be used in those more challenging situations, although IIHS researchers found owners’ manuals to be inconsistent and vague on this topic. If systems are only used in light traffic and on interstates, that will limit their potential safety benefits.

Source: IIHS

SenseTime announced they have signed a long-term development agreement with Japanese car manufacturer Honda to build smart AI cars with autonomous driving. The partnership will leverage Honda’s vehicle control system with SenseTime’s AI algorithms to jointly create an autonomous driving solution. The two companies also announced they will work together to develop robot technology.

Rooted in computer vision technologies, autonomous driving solutions can be deployed even in the absence of high-resolution maps, allowing them to cover an even wider array of driving conditions. When a vehicle is driving without a detailed map covering its trajectory, for example, it will still be able to use the self-driving function. This autonomous driving solution offers great advantages to a variety of passenger vehicle scenarios and will also lower transducer manufacturing costs.

A fast up-and-coming field, autonomous driving is levying new, extremely high standards on AI algorithms and development platforms as it requires extraordinary technologies to deliver such a solution. SenseTime, with a set of core technologies and patents for autonomous driving, has also developed chips and embedded systems for smart AI cars. The partnership between SenseTime and Honda is expected to accelerate the research of developement of smart AI cars.

Source: Honda

All cars achieve a maximum five-star rating except for the e-Mehari which is rated as three stars. As consumers have come to expect from these brands, the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X3 perform well all-round, the Jaguar E-Pace continues JLR’s strong run of five-star vehicles and Mercedes-Benz’s first pickup also hits the ground running with a maximum safety rating.

Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, “Unsurprising as these results may be to some, these ratings continue to represent outstanding engineering achievements. This should not be taken for granted given the fact that Euro NCAP’s rating regime now includes over 15 different tests and hundreds of individual requirements, which are strengthened all the time. It is very positive that manufacturers still see a five-star rating as the target for most new vehicle models.”

Citroën’s quirky, beach-resort vehicle, the e-Mehari harks back to the Méhari which began production in the sixties. With standard airbags and seatbelt load-limiters and pre-tensioners, the e-Mehari offers satisfactory crash protection but its star rating is held back by a lack of driver assistance. PSA has not lost their mojo, however, as their DS7 Crossback debut confidently takes its spot among the top achievers this year.

Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, “As we approach the end of the year, Euro NCAP is preparing for the new tests in 2018, in which auto brake systems that can detect and mitigate cyclists will be put to the test for the first time. These new tests and other planned updates will reflect the surge in automated vehicle functions that we expect to see on the market in the next years. Our mission is to help consumers understand how these systems operate, to show what they are capable of and to explain how one day these might save your life”.

Source: Euro NCAP

The European Parliament says all new cars sold in Europe should be fitted as standard with a range of life-saving technologies including automated emergency braking, intelligent speed assistance and seatbelt reminders in all seats. Safety campaigners say the technologies could be as important as the seat belt, but action is needed now because it will take years before the majority of cars on the roads have the technology.

Some 26,000 people died on EU roads last year, a figure that has hardly changed in three years.

The resolution was authored and approved by the Parliament’s Transport committee last month but today got backing from the full Parliament. The European Commission is expected to publish its final legal proposals for revised vehicle safety standards by March next year. Those plans would then need to be approved by EU member states and the Parliament.

Mandatory safety standards for new cars sold on the European market have not been updated since 2009.

The European Parliament’s report backs a range of new safety measures for cars and vans, as well as new requirements for lorries including direct vision requirements to improve visibility of pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in urban areas.

Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council commented:

“These new vehicle safety measures are the EU’s best hope for restarting progress on road safety in Europe. But they will take several years to take effect and even longer before the majority of cars on our roads all have these features. After several years of foot dragging, it is now absolutely critical that the European Commission publishes its proposals without any further delay.

“Making these proposed technologies mandatory could be as important as the introduction of the seat belt in safety terms, so we want to thank MEPs for taking such a positive stance on this issue.”

Carmakers in the United States have voluntarily agreed to fit automated emergency braking as standard by 2022, the feature is already offered either as an option or as standard on many vehicles in Europe. ETSC is calling for systems that can detect vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians to be fitted.

Intelligent Speed Assistance, an overridable technology that helps drivers keep to the current speed limit is already offered by several manufacturers in Europe including Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Volvo.

Source: ETSC

Honda Odyssey maintains the minivan’s good ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crashworthiness tests and is available with two things the previous version lacked — a high-performing automatic braking system and acceptable headlights.

The changes mean the 2018 model qualifies for the top award from IIHS, Top Safety Pick+.

To earn a 2017 Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have good ratings in all five crashworthiness tests — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating.

The 2017 Odyssey was available only with optional forward collision warning, earning it a basic rating for front crash prevention. Its headlights weren’t evaluated.

The 2018 model’s optional front crash prevention system earns a superior rating. In IIHS track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, an Odyssey equipped with the system avoided collisions. The system also has a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The Odyssey’s Elite and Touring trim lines earn an acceptable rating for their LED reflector headlights. The two trims include high-beam assist, a feature that automatically switches between high beams and low beams, depending on the presence of other vehicles.

Headlights on other trim lines earn a marginal or poor rating.

Source: IIHS

SBD has a strong presence at the show this year, with nine specialists attending to follow the latest technologies and trends. In this article we give a brief report on some of the latest and most interesting vehicles and technologies released at the show so far.

Volkswagen

At its group night event in advance of the opening of the IAA, Volkswagen announced it will be investing 6 billion euros in electric mobility over the next five years. It also premiered its I.D. CROZZ II concept, a fully electric Level 5 autonomous SUV based on VW Group’s scalable MEB electric car platform. The car makes extensive use of voice and gesture control for functions such as ‘waking up’ the car, operating the doors & panoramic roof and starting the I.D. Pilot autonomous driving mode, which retracts the multi-function steering wheel into the dash. An augmented reality HUD offers information overlaid on the outside view and the dashboard is completely buttonless.

While the VW I.D. concept offers an electric alternative to the Golf, the I.D. CROZZ augments the Tiguan, offering a firm idea of the direction of the 2020 production model.

Source: VW

Bosch

Bosch announced at Frankfurt on Tuesday that it expects to see its annual sales of driver-assistance systems reach €2 billion by 2019, outpacing market growth of 25 per cent per year. This year the number of R&D associates in its mobility solutions business sector will rise to 48,000 employees. Bosch’s short-term aim is to improve air quality by refining the combustion engine and growing its electromobility solutions.
It also showcased its community-based parking solution which simplifies the search for urban parking. Cars use their ultrasonic sensors to measure potential spaces as they pass them by. The information is then transferred in real time to a map which drivers can use to find the nearest spaces. Bosch is planning to complement this service with a digital payment solution.

Source: Bosch

Renault

Renault unveiled its Symbioz concept: an autonomous fully electric car presented as an extension of the home or an “extra mobile, modular and multi-purpose room”. The exterior features architectural detailing such as a steel frame, large windows and wooden and carbon fibre highlights. In addition to fabrics, the interior features copper, marble and porcelain accents and allows wireless connection to the home. The seatbelts are fitted with wrist-watch style touchscreens. Finally, the concept includes a platform to allow the car to be lifted onto a roof terrace.

Honda

At the unveiling of Honda’s Urban EV Concept, Honda Motor Co. President and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, announced that electrified technology will now feature in every new car model launched in Europe. A production version of the Urban EV will be released in 2019. Globally, Honda aims to have electrified technology across two thirds of its new car sales by 2030. Honda also launched its new CR-V Hybrid Prototype which will go on sale in 2018 and will be the first Honda hybrid SUV sold in Europe.

Honda’s Urban EV Concept showcases the company’s vision for a world where mobility and daily life are seamlessly linked. The on-board advanced Honda Automated Network Assistant acts as a personal concierge, which learns from the driver by detecting emotions behind their judgments. It can then apply what it has learnt from the driver’s past decisions to make new choices and recommendations.

Mercedes-Benz

Intelligent World Drive

At the International Motor Show (IAA), Mercedes-Benz has annouced “Intelligent World Drive” to test automated driving functions on all five continents using a vehicle based on the S‑Class. This S‑Class, which has been automated for test purposes, will face a variety of complex traffic situations. In the process, it will gather valuable experience on the road to autonomous driving.

Testing the innovative lighting system, As lighting also plays a key role on the road to automated and autonomous mobility, Mercedes-Benz’s “Intelligent World Drive” is additionally testing a prototype headlamp featuring innovative DIGITAL LIGHT technology. This revolutionary lighting system allows features that were unveiled as a vision of the future in the F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle in early 2015. The non-dazzle continuous high beam in HD quality uses chips with over one million micro-mirrors, and therefore pixels, per headlamp. Among other things, DIGITAL LIGHT is thus able to project light corridors onto the road in order to communicate with the surroundings.

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQ (The name EQ stands for “Electric Intelligence”) and smart vision EQ fortwoThe smart vision EQ fortwo, like the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA, will be showcased at the 2017 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The smart show car provides a new vision of urban mobility and individualized, highly flexible local public transport, the autonomous concept vehicle picks up its passengers directly from their chosen location. New individualization options help users to recognize that it is “their” vehicle, the black panel on the front, the LED displays in place of the headlamps and rear lamps and the large projection surfaces on the sides of the smart vision EQ fortwo allow an unprecedented degree of vehicle individualization, ideal for car sharing. Freed from the task of driving, the passengers are able to relax in the large interior.

Valeo

Valeo will be showcasing 20 innovative products and services at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Some of them are:

• Park4U Home, a personal valet system whereby the vehicle learns to park itself without requiring the driver to stand nearby to supervise the maneuver.
• Valeo everView, the first LiDAR sensor cleaning system, which ensures optimal, continuous operation of the sensors in all weather and road conditions by clearing away rain, mud, snow, dust and other obstructions.
• Valeo MyMobius, a human-machine interface that learns from drivers’ habits in order to anticipate their needs, suggest customized routes and enhance safety.

In addition to these, Valeo will be displaying its full array of engine electrification and hybridization solutions, from 12V and 48V systems to high-power innovations (motors, onboard chargers, inverters and DC/DC converters) developed by the Valeo Siemens eAutomotive GmbH joint venture. Valeo’s electrification technologies are compatible with all vehicle types.Also on show will be Valeo’s SCALA®, the first and only laser scanner to be mass produced. It rounds out Valeo’s industry-leading portfolio of sensors, which are key to automated driving.Lastly, Valeo will be presenting various innovations to improve well-being, comfort and safety, such as the Oxy’Zen cabin air purification solution, and Valeo 360AEB, an autonomous emergency braking system.

Source: Valeo

HELLA

HELLA sensors enable HELLA 360° rotating viewOn the path to assisted, then autonomous driving, functions for detecting vehicle surroundings on the basis of e.g. radar technology play an important role in order to identify pedestrians and other vehicles early. Thanks to their compact design, the 77GhZ radar sensors can also be integrated into the vehicle’s respective sides. This makes possible a 360° environment detection around the vehicle for identifying moving objects (object detection).HELLA teaches vehicles how to “feel”For paving the way to further safety and comfort functions, a vehicle needs to not only “see” its surroundings (e.g. via camera and radar system), but also be able to “feel” it. To that end, HELLA has developed the SHAKE (Structural Health and Knock Emission) technology. The sensor detects structure-borne sound waves generated by contact or knocks on the vehicle body by means of a piezoelectric foil. The sensor can thus detect parking damages early (Intelligent Damage Detection). HELLA has developed the technology further and will present new functions at IAA, such as pedestrian protection (Adaptive Impact Detection) becoming ever more important on the path to automated driving.

Source: Hella

The 2018 Ridgeline received a best possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Ridgeline also continues to offer the comprehensive Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver assistive features including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

Source: Honda

For the model year 2018, all Accords will feature the full suite of Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment. Honda Sensing includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and new Traffic Sign Recognition. Additional available driver-assistive technologies include Blind Spot Information, front and rear parking sensors, Cross Traffic Monitor and Driver Awareness Monitor; and all models feature a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with dynamic guidelines.

Standard advanced active and passive safety systems include Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control, Anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), advanced front airbags, driver and front-passenger side airbags and new driver and front-passenger knee airbags. The Accord targets top U.S. government (NCAP) and IIHS collision safety ratings.

Source: Honda

Euro NCAP publishes the safety ratings of six new cars and the rating of the Ford Mustang facelift. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Hyundai i30, Opel Insignia, SEAT Ibiza and VW Arteon are all awarded a maximum five-star rating; Honda’s new Civic gets four stars and Ford’s muscle-car, the Mustang, gets three stars in its latest form.

The luxurious VW Arteon performed well in all areas of assessment, becoming the highest-scoring executive vehicle for pedestrian protection to date. Alfa Romeo’s new off-roader, the Stelvio, did exceptionally well in adult occupant protection, with a near-perfect 97 percent score, matching competitors like the Volvo XC90, assessed in 2015.

The SEAT Ibiza stood out for its high level of standard safety equipment. Other cars in this category often have autonomous braking as an option but the Ibiza’s system, which includes pedestrian detection, is standard equipment, helping it to a well-deserved five-star rating.

Euro NCAP Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, said, “The greater the extent to which these new technologies are fitted, the better and faster will be the progress in safety on our roads, to the benefit of all. It is to SEAT’s credit that they have made a sophisticated AEB standard on a supermini like the Ibiza, and we commend them for it.”

In the small family car category, Hyundai’s new i30 gets five stars with good performance across the board. The Honda Civic is let down by lower-than-expected protection offered to children, but is still rated as a solid four star car.

Earlier this year, the Ford Mustang scored a disappointing two stars in Euro NCAP testing. Ford has responded by making AEB and Lane Assistance standard on its facelifted model and has introduced improvements on its frontal airbags. With these changes, the latest Mustang on sale has reached three stars.

Michiel van Ratingen, “It is good to see that after 20 years Euro NCAP’s call for safety improvement still strikes a chord with responsible companies like Ford. While a three-star rating is unexceptional, the updates Ford have introduced have not only made Mustang’s safety better in key areas but also show that the company cares about its customers and safety reputation.”

Source: Euro NCAP

Honda revealed the 2018 Fit with fresh new styling, the addition of a Sport trim and the availability of Honda Sensing. The availability of Honda Sensing brings the suite of advanced safety and driver assistive technologies to the subcompact Fit.

Available on LX and Sport trims and standard on EX and above, Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Brake Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Road Departure Warning (RDW). This makes Fit the most affordable car in America with such a robust suite of available advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies and the only vehicle within its segment to do so.

Source: Honda

• Highly automated freeway driving by 2020
• Level 4 automated driving system for Honda vehicles by 2025
• Test drives of Honda AD technology held at R&D center in Japan

Honda today announced that it is targeting the year 2025 for the introduction of vehicles with highly-automated driving capability in most driving situations (SAE Level 4). This new goal builds upon earlier-announced plans for Honda and Acura vehicles to have highly-automated freeway driving capability (SAE Level 3) by 2020. These are critical steps in Honda’s commitment to contribute to a collision-free society.

The announcement was made by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. President & CEO Takahiro Hachigo at a media briefing held at Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Japan, where media were able to test drive Honda automated vehicle technologies in several complex driving scenarios, including systems with advanced artificial intelligence (AI).

“We will strive to achieve the technological establishment of Level 4 automated driving for personal car use by around 2025,” said Hachigo. “We are striving to provide our customers with a sense of confidence and trust by offering automated driving that will keep vehicles away from any dangerous situation and that will not make people around the vehicle feel unsafe.”

The freeway driving test-drive demonstration was conducted on a closed test course using a vehicle equipped with an advanced suite of sensors, showing the capability for automated driving system utilization on a multi-lane freeway in the presence of traffic. The test vehicle utilizes an advanced sensor package which includes multiple cameras, as well as five LiDAR and five radar sensors.

A second driving scenario, simulating a common urban driving experience, was conducted using the latest generation of Honda artificial intelligence (AI) with Deep Learning capability. Equipped with camera sensors only and no LIDAR or GPS, Honda’s AI with Deep Learning can sense and respond to complex driving environments and situations, such as roads without proper lane markings. The system also can detect pedestrians and bicyclists at night with only partial visibility, and through the accumulation of experience, using advanced AI, the system can improve its ability to predict an outcome and take appropriate action.

Honda is rapidly advancing its deployment of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies in Honda and Acura vehicles on the road today, through its Honda Sensing and AcuraWatch suite of features, which serve as both a perceptual and technological bridge to the highly-automated vehicles the future.

Source: Honda