In a recent speech by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. President and CEO Takahiro Hachigo, it was confirmed that Honda is committed to building electric vehicles and plans to have autonomous vehicles operating on highways by 2020.
The goal for electric vehicles is to have two-thirds of global sales in 2030. This doesn’t just include cars. Honda is working on electric motor cycles and scooters for the commuter market.
In the speech Hachigo said, “Our development will put a central focus on hybrid-based models utilising a high-efficiency plug-in hybrid system unique to Honda. As for zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), we will strengthen the development of electric vehicles (battery EV) in addition to fuel cell vehicles (FCV)”.
A level 4 autonomous car is self driving. It can operate without human interaction. Honda hopes to achieve this by 2025 though think they will have a vehicle can operate in traffic and change lanes on highways by 2020.
Through its automated driving technologies, Honda is striving to “serve people worldwide with the joy and freedom of collision-free mobility”.
The speech outlined three values they want to realise with the development of full autonomy.
- Realisation of a society where people do not get involved in accidents.
- Offering mobility products which enable all people to always enjoy the freedom of mobility.
- Creating travel time and cabin space that make mobility fun for people.
Honda also provided a concept of what autonomous driving will look like to its customers and the community.
- We strive 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 also not make people around the vehicle feel unsafe.
- By featuring smooth and natural driving characteristics, our automated driving vehicle will realise occupant comfort that gives the driver complete trust and provides a fun of mobility that makes people naturally want to go driving.
- We are going to realise automated driving technologies for use on highways in 2020.
- As for automated driving on highways, we are striving to realise an automated lane-changing function which enables the vehicle to drive in multiple lanes without any command from the driver. And we also are going to realise an automated driving function, which will free the driver from the need to monitor their surroundings while the vehicle is experiencing traffic congestion.
- Moreover, we will strive to achieve the technological establishment of ‘level 4’ automated driving for personal car use by around 2025.
