Honda introduces new initiatives and technology focus

Honda eVTOL (CNW Group/Honda Canada Inc.)

TOKYO — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. introduced the technology development direction the company is currently pursuing for the challenges Honda is taking on in new areas while leveraging its core technologies.

Honda Takes on Challenges in New Areas Leveraging Its Core Technologies

While solidifying its existing businesses as the foundation of the company, Honda is thoroughly committed to contributing to the realization of a society with zero environmental impact and zero traffic collisions, and also new initiatives that enable Honda to take on challenges in new areas. In addition to research on advanced environmental and safety technologies, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., which takes a lead role in Honda’s technology research and development, is pursuing research on technologies that will bring about new value for people by expanding the potential of mobility into the 3rd dimension, as well as into outer space.

These new initiatives are made possible by core technologies Honda has amassed to date, including technologies in the areas of combustion, electrification, control and robotics.

These new areas include an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, avatar robot with a goal to expand the range of human ability and a new challenge in the field of outer space.

• Honda eVTOL leverages Honda’s electrification technologies for its gas turbine hybrid power unit.
• Adoption of the hybrid power unit enables the extension of range, which will enable Honda eVTOL to provide inter-city (city-to-city) transportation, where the market size is expected to grow in the future.
• Honda will create a new “mobility ecosystem” featuring Honda eVTOL at its core, connected with mobility products on the ground.

To make the mobility in the skies Honda realized with its original HondaJet even more accessible for more people, Honda is developing its eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) aircraft by taking advantage of a wide range of Honda’s core technologies.

• Honda will develop an avatar robot with the goal to expand the range of human ability virtually
• Honda Avatar Robot will be equipped with a multi-fingered hand, an application of Honda robotics technologies, and Honda’s original AI-supported remote control function.
• With a view to putting the Honda Avatar Robot into practical use in the 2030s, Honda is pursuing development with a goal to conduct technology demonstration testing before the end of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
• Accelerating Honda research and development in the field of space technologies
• Building a circulative renewable energy system on the lunar surface by leveraging Honda fuel cell technologies and high differential pressure water electrolysis technologies
• Applying Honda’s multi-fingered robotic hand, AI-supported remote-control function, and highly-responsive torque control technologies to remotely-controlled robots which will perform tasks on the lunar surface
• Proposal by young Honda engineers to research and develop a small, reusable rocket by applying Honda’s core technologies such as combustion, fluid, control and guidance technologies