Honda Introduces “Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem” at CES 2017
- Collaborative display highlights open
innovation; offers intelligent, connected and fun mobility for the future
- Honda Riding Assist, NeuV concept mini-vehicle leverage Honda’s
R&D investments
- Experiential demonstrations feature partners Visa, DreamWorks and
more
LAS VEGAS (Jan. 5, 2017) – Honda unveiled its Cooperative Mobility
Ecosystem concept today at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, connecting
the power of artificial intelligence, robotics and big data to transform the
mobility experience of the future and improve customers’ quality of life. Featuring
a number of prototype and concept technology demonstrations at CES, the Honda
concept envisions a future where vehicles will communicate with each other and
infrastructure to mitigate traffic congestion and eliminate traffic fatalities,
while increasing the productivity of road users and delivering new types of in-vehicle
entertainment experiences. Vehicles will create new value by autonomously
providing services when not in use by their owners.
Honda also announced collaborations with Visa,
DreamWorks Animation
and innovative start-ups through the Honda Developer Studio and Honda Xcelerator
open innovation programs based out of Honda Silicon Valley Lab. Further, as part of its effort to accelerate open innovation, Honda has
established a new URL for areas including AI, Big Data and
Robotics. Interested companies and individuals can access the
following URL: http://www.honda.co.jp/openinnovation/.
Supporting its Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem
theme, Honda introduced the Honda NeuV, an electric automated mini-vehicle
concept equipped with an artificial intelligence
(AI) "emotion engine"*1 and automated personal assistant,
creating new possibilities for human interaction and new value for customers.
The
global mobility company also introduced Honda Riding Assist, a concept motorcycle that applies Honda’s
robotics technology to maintain balance. Visitors to Honda’s exhibit (LVCC,
North Hall – 7312) also can experience firsthand Honda robotics technology by
“test-driving” the UNI-CUB, the company’s self-balancing personal mobility
device.
Following is a summary of the product and technology concepts Honda
has on display at CES:
Honda Riding Assist motorcycle
In a global debut at CES, Honda
unveiled its Riding Assist technology, which leverages Honda’s robotics
technology to create a self-balancing motorcycle that greatly reduces the
possibility of falling over while the motorcycle is at rest. Rather than
relying on gyroscopes, which add a great deal of weight and alter the riding
experience as announced by other companies, the Honda Riding Assist motorcycle incorporates
technology originally developed for the company’s UNI-CUB personal mobility
device.
Honda NeuV
Designed to create new
possibilities for customers, the NeuV (pronounced “new-v”), which stands for
New Electric Urban Vehicle, is a concept vehicle whose genesis is based on the
fact that privately-owned vehicles sit idle 96 percent of the time. The NeuV
explores the idea of how to create new value for its owner by functioning as an
automated ride sharing vehicle, picking up and dropping off customers at local
destinations when the owner is not using the car. The NeuV also can sell energy
back to the electric grid during times of high demand when it’s not in use.
These activities have the potential to create a new business model for
enterprising customers.
“We
designed NeuV to become more valuable to the owner by optimizing and monetizing
the vehicle’s down time,” said Mike Tsay, principal designer, Honda R&D
Americas.
NeuV also functions as a thoughtful
and helpful AI assistant utilizing an "emotion engine", an
emerging technology developed by Honda and SoftBank (cocoro SB
Corp.). Called HANA (Honda Automated Network Assistant), in its
application in the NeuV, the “emotion engine” will learn from the driver by
detecting the emotions behind the driver’s judgments and then, based on the
driver’s past decisions, make new choices and recommendations. HANA can check
on the driver’s emotional well-being, make music recommendations based on mood,
and support the owner’s daily driving routine.
The
NeuV features a full touch panel interface enabling both the driver and
passenger to access a simple and convenient user experience. The
vehicle has two seats, a storage area in back, and an electric skateboard
for “last mile” transit. The NeuV also features outstanding
outward visibility via a headerless windshield and a dramatically sloping belt
line that make maneuvering easy.
Safe Swarm
At
CES, Honda launched its “Safe Swarm” concept, which utilizes bio-mimicry –
replicating the behavior of a school of fish – to create a safer, more
efficient and enjoyable driving experience. The Honda Safe Swarm demonstration immerses
visitors in a world where vehicles sharing the road communicate with one
another using dedicated short range communication (DSRC) to support the driver
in negotiating complex driving situations.
The Safe Swarm concept enables vehicles to operate cooperatively,
enabling more efficient, low-stress and, ultimately, collision-free
mobility.
Honda UNI-CUB
The Honda UNI-CUB display enables CES attendees
to experience a self-balancing personal mobility device that enables the seated
rider to control speed, move in any direction and stop, all by simply shifting body
weight. Earlier this year, the company
opened the UNI-CUB’s API seeking to facilitate the creation of software that can
control the device from a smartphone and other devices, which would provide the
potential to expand its value and functionality for people. This expands upon
the UNI-CUB's original system, which currently allows the seated rider to
control speed, move in any direction and stop, all by simply shifting body
weight. With the ability to freely move forward, backward, side-to-side and
diagonally, UNI-CUB can quickly and easily maneuver among people.
Open Innovation and Collaboration
Continuing its pursuit of open innovation and collaboration, Honda
also announced initiatives with entrepreneurs, startups and global tech brands
via the Honda Silicon Valley Lab.
-
Visa – Building on their mobile payment
collaboration at last year’s Mobile World Congress, Honda is conducting two
proof-of-concept demonstrations at CES created through its partnership with
Visa. These demonstrations will be the
first conducted with infrastructure partners Gilbarco Veeder-Root and IPS Group. The demos will showcase the simplicity and
convenience when paying for services such as gasoline purchases and public
parking from the comfort and safety of a vehicle.
-
DreamWorks Animation – Honda has teamed with
DreamWorks Animation to develop new cross-platform, augmented- and virtual
reality-content and solutions for the in-vehicle experience. Honda is
demonstrating a proof of concept version of its Honda Dream Drive in-car
virtual reality prototype featuring exclusive DreamWorks Animation content at
CES.
-
VocalZoom – Through its Silicon Valley Honda Xcelerator
incubator program, Honda is working with VocalZoom to apply the company’s Human to Machine (HMC)
optical sensor technology to the creation of a safer, more satisfying in-car voice-control
experience. By “reading” physical facial skin vibrations as people speak, the
VocalZoom sensor isolates their words from other voices and noise in the
background. This enables automotive
voice recognition systems to perform far more accurate than has been possible
with traditional speech-recognition solutions. VocalZoom’s optical sensor has
the potential to deliver seamless, near-perfect voice-control performance even
in a noisy in-cabin environment.
-
LEIA Inc. – Through another Honda Xcelerator collaboration,
with LEIA, Honda has developed a new driver’s display concept that uses LEIA’s
nano technology to provide three-dimensional images, providing seamless
transitions between different viewing angles for warnings and driver-assistive
systems. Although 3D can be distracting
if it isn’t designed correctly, the LEIA’s nanotech approach presents depth in
a way that feels natural. Honda sees a number of potential applications for
this technology, from navigation to traffic information.
CES attendees
can learn more and experience demonstrations of the Honda Cooperative Mobility
Ecosystem at the Honda booth (#7312) from January 5-8 at the Las Vegas
Convention Center. Videos, images
and more details can be found at honda.us/CES2017.
About Honda
Technology
Honda is creating technologies and products that advance the company’s clean,
safe, fun and connected brand values. These efforts include advancements in automated
vehicles, connectivity and ultra-low carbon mobility. In North America, the company has more than
300,000 vehicles on the road equipped with the Honda SensingÔ or AcuraWatchÔ safety and driver-assistive
technologies and more than 400,000 vehicles featuring Apple CarPlayâ and Android AutoÔ compatibility. Honda also is testing advanced automated
vehicle technologies in Japan and North America and is targeting 2020 for the
deployment of highly automated vehicles on U.S. highways. Honda also is working to fulfill its
environmental and safety vision: “to realize the joy and freedom of mobility
and a sustainable society where people can enjoy life.” Toward this target, Honda is striving
to make two-thirds of its global automobile sales from hybrid, plug-in hybrid
and electrified vehicles including fuel cell and battery electric vehicles by
around 2030.
*1 The
“emotion engine” is a set of AI technologies developed by cocoro SB Corp.,
which enable machines to artificially generate their own emotions.