Honda’s new fuel cell car will arrive this year for $500 a month

by Jordan Golson of www.theverge.com

Though the electric car gets all the attention, it's not the only forward-thinking vehicle around. Honda will begin selling the new version of the Clarity, its hydrogen fuel cell sedan, later this year.

The Clarity, which debuted at the Tokyo Auto Show last year before first appearing on US shores in November at the LA Auto Show, will hit limited dealers in LA, Orange County, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. It's a sedan with a rather pretty interior, but all the innovation is under the hood.

Instead of a traditional gasoline-powered engine, or a futuristic all-electric power plant, there's a futuristic hydrogen-powered engine. These advanced powertrains aren't new — Honda sold its first fuel cell vehicle in the US back in 2005 and they've been sold in the US, Germany, and Japan for years. In very simple terms, a fuel cell car turns hydrogen into electricity, with the only emission being water. Easy to explain, complicated to build.

But, the biggest problem isn't the technology itself (though these limited sales help Honda learn about real-world use of fuel cell vehicles at scale). Instead, it's building the distribution network for refueling. Hydrogen filling stations are rare, only common in the US in a few counties in California, making road trips even more difficult than with electric cars. If all-else fails, you can always plug your Model S into a regular outlet — there's no backup with a fuel cell car.

Regardless, Honda and a few other automakers (notably Toyota and Hyundai) keep quietly plugging away at the technology, thinking that it could be a futuristic alternative to the EV, especially if they can get a hydrogen fueling infrastructure set up across the country.

For now, California consumers in select areas will be able to lease the Clarity Fuel Cell for around $500 (Honda's targeted price, anyway), and get a driving range of over 300 miles. Deliveries should begin around the end of the year.

Source (with more pictures);
http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/21/10808454/honda-clarity-fuel-cell-sedan-2016

Apple Releases iOS 7.1 Update

by Eli Blumenthal www.wtlx.com

On Monday Apple released the first major update to iOS 7 — iOS 7.1 — fixing numerous bugs such as one that caused random reboots of the iPhone 5s, iPad Mini with Retina Display and iPad Air when they were running iOS 7.

Apple has also made adjustments to improve performance on older devices like the iPhone 4, iPad 2 and third-generation iPad, addressing some of the most popular complaints with its most recent mobile operating system.

In addition to various other bug fixes and tweaks, the approximately 280 MB update also includes support for the company's new CarPlay feature in the iPhone 5, 5c or 5s.

CarPlay, which was announced last week at the Geneva Motor Show, allows interaction with Siri, Messages, Maps and other iPhone functions using a car's dashboard. Major automakers Ferrari, Volvo, Honda, Toyota, among others, are planning to offer support for the new infotainment system beginning later this year.

Volvo, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz demoed the tech operating in their respective cars during the Geneva Motor Show last week.

The free update is available now and can be downloaded by going to "software update" in the "general" section of the Settings app.

Source;
http://www.wltx.com/story/tech/2014/03/11/apple-releases-ios-71-update/6283663/

New power generation: Honda on the cutting edge

Honda Motor Co. President Takanobu Ito shows Honda NSX hybrid concept car, left, and Honda S660 concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier this month.
(Shizuo Kambayashi/AP Photo)

The Tokyo Motor Show may not be the must-see event it once was prior to the global economic meltdown of 2008, but it still packs a wallop when it comes to showcasing new ideas and new technologies.

For Honda Motor Co., while it’s safe to say certain models in the company’s lineup are unqualified successes – the Accord, for example – it’s equally correct to note that others have fallen far short of expectations.

On its stand at the show was the RA271, the car with which Honda first competed in Grand Prix racing in 1964. A few spots down was the latest prototype version of the Honda/Acura NSX, its highly anticipated sports car, which is due to be released in 2015.

By no coincidence, Honda will return to Grand Prix racing that same year as the exclusive engine supplier to the McLaren Formula One team.

 “The regulations in Formula One are going through major changes right now,” Takanobu Ito, Honda’s CEO, said through an interpreter during an exclusive roundtable interview session. “And they are changing in a very encouraging way for a manufacturer like Honda.”

The changes include a move away from the series’ naturally aspirated 2.4-litre V-8 engine to a turbocharged 1.6-litre V-6, as well as greater use of energy recovery technology. The expected specifications for the NSX reveal that Honda is on the same page: the hybrid will rely heavily on a turbocharged V-6 engine and on energy regeneration.

This technology, in a different form, was on display at the company’s R&D facility in Tochigi where journalists got a crack at the forthcoming Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (super handling all-wheel drive). The next flagship for Honda’s luxury division, which will arrive in Canada in 2014, employs a 3.5-litre V-6 gas engine linked to no fewer than three electric motors – one in the front and one at each rear wheel.

The motors in the back trigger a torque vectoring system that sends power to the outside wheels to help with cornering. While many all-wheel drive cars show a tendency to understeer in such situations (they don’t want to turn when you want them to turn), the RLX hybrid did not. In fact, a few quick laps around one of the test facility’s tracks revealed that the strength of the Acura could be its predictable, smile-inducing handling.

The RLX Sport Hybrid powertrain produces 377 hp, promises superior fuel economy to the non-hybrid version and showcases Honda’s first dual-clutch automatic transmission – so it will be a technological tour de force for the manufacturer. The NSX will also incorporate a hybrid all-wheel drive system, although details have yet to be released.

The SH-AWD system was just one of three hybrid powertrains that Honda has developed and all three were on display in Tochigi. We also sampled the i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) system that is used in the largely wonderful Honda Accord Hybrid (on sale in Canada) and the Accord Plug-In Hybrid (which we may not receive).

“Hybrids will generate fuel efficiency that internal combustion alone will never give us,” Ito said. “We will see wide adoption of hybrids over the next 10 years.”

Hybrids comprise 40 per cent of the market in Japan, but a smaller percentage in Canada. Hybrids prove most popular when the price is not significantly greater than that for the non-hybrid equivalent, as is the case with the Hybrid Fit in Japan. In Canada, only the next-generation gas-powered Fit will arrive next year.

In parallel with the company’s continued focus on hybrid powertrains is its intention to develop “downsized” turbo engines, more Continuously Variable Transmissions, a smattering of diesels and, in the long term, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

“The hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is the ultimate expression of personal mobility,” Ito said. “We believe it’s the best in terms of environmental performance. Until [it’s ready], there will be a number of efforts in other areas, including improvements to the internal combustion engine.”

Honda is at the crossroads – some of the car technologies being developed will have a limited shelf life, others may never bear fruit and still others could drive future success for decades.

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/new-power-generation-honda-on-the-cutting-edge/article15637882/

Ditching the Transmission Allowed Honda’s Accord Hybrid to Hit 50 MPG

Honda’s Hybrid Accord uses electric motors in lieu of all but one gear. 

by Kevin Bullis of www.technologyreview.com

 

Honda says it has found a way to improve the efficiency of hybrids—and in all likelihood significantly lower the cost to build them. For its new Honda Accord Hybrid, which goes on sale across the U.S. at the end of the month, it’s done away with the car’s transmission.

Hybrids could help automakers meet fuel economy regulations, but their sales are limited by high costs, which are as much as $5,000 more than conventional cars. It may eventually be possible to reduce the price gap to zero, according to a spokesperson from Honda.

Hybrids typically use complex transmissions, or power splitters, to coordinate between the gasoline engine and electric motor that propel hybrids. To get rid of this system, engineers designed the new Accord Hybrid so that most of the time the gas engine isn’t mechanically connected to the wheels. It serves only to spin a generator, which charges a battery. The battery then delivers electricity to a motor that drives the wheels. Electric motors can operate over a wide variety of speeds, eliminating the need to shift gears. To this point, the new design isn’t novel–it’s known as a series hybrid design.

But series hybrids aren’t always as efficient as hybrids that use a transmission. You lose energy when you convert the mechanical energy from the engine into electric energy to charge the battery, and then back into mechanical energy via a motor. (Taking this hit makes sense sometimes, since storing energy in a battery makes it possible to keep the engine operating in its sweet spot, avoiding loads and speeds where it’s very inefficient.) In the early days of talking about the Chevrolet Volt, GM made it sound like it would be a series hybrid. But engineers introduced a complex transmission to allow the gas engine to drive the wheels directly in some situations, improving efficiency by 10 to 15 percent.

Honda found a simpler approach. It uses the electric motor to get the car up to a steady, highway speed. At that point, a clutch allows the gas engine to drive the wheels directly. Basically, the car has only one high gear, and it uses the electric motor in lieu of all the other gears.

Honda says this system is key to allowing the car to get 50 miles per gallon in the city and 45 miles per gallon on the highway, impressive figures for a car its size. In comparison, the non-hybrid version of the Accord gets 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, and the similarly sized Toyota Camry Hybrid only gets 43 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway. (The Ford Fusion Hybrid officially comes close, with 47 mpg in both the city and highway, but Consumer Reports found the actual mileage was far lower—just 35 and 41 in city and highway.)

The new approach does have the potential to reduce costs and improve efficiency, says John Heywood, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. But he notes that transmissions are also getting very efficient, so every automaker isn’t necessarily going to take this path. He expects the cost difference between hybrids and conventional vehicles to decline to $2,000 by 2030. “Costs will come down, but there’s a lot more stuff in a hybrid, so it’s inevitably going to cost somewhat more,” he says.

Source;
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/520106/ditching-the-transmission-allowed-hondas-accord-hybrid-to-hit-50-mpg/

Truth About Cars: Generation Why: What’s Eating Soichiro Honda?

The man himself....

By Derek Kreindler of www.truthaboutcars.com
One of the most enduring narratives in the past few years has been the idea that somehow, Honda has lost it’s way. The maker of affordable, high-quality and fun to drive cars had suddenly become a purveyor of bland appliances that were the furthest thing from what they built their name on.


I’d argue that those who only focus on the loss of the Integra Type-R, the S2000 and the double wishbone suspension are taking a short-sighted view of Honda as a company. If anything, they are carrying on in exactly the same manner as they always have – it’s just that they haven’t adapted to the unprecedented shifts that have occurred in the post-bailout car market.

To understand Honda, you have to look step outside the enthusiast lore of Soichiro Honda, VTEC engines and Formula 1. Honda is, above and beyond everything else, the iconoclast in the Japanese market, the small company with an international mindshare belying that size. Soichiro Honda, the legendary namesake founder, was something of a rebel, having little time for the stifling conformity of post-WWII Japan. The Japanese government attempted to merge Honda with a number of smaller auto makers and stop them from exporting their cars to the states – a move Soichiro successfully fought, that led to the company being given permission to export their wares to America. Ever since, Soichiro’s unconventional views have defined the company.

Key among these is an unshakable conviction – some would say bordering on arrogance – that whatever Honda does is the right way, the only way to do things. View things through this lens, and a lot of their decisions begin to make sense. Why introduce a V6 Accord when the 4-cylinder model was selling in huge volumes and offered a superior driving experience? Why give Acura a V8 engine when Honda’s V6 was just as powerful and more efficient to boot? Why introduce a minivan when the Accord wagon was sufficient? And when we do, why not give it conventionally hinged doors and a 4-cylinder engine? This philosophy is summed up perfectly by Soichiro himself: “We do not make something because the demand, the market is there. With our technology, we can create the demand, we can create the market.”

From 1973 until the turn of the millennium  Honda’s convictions served them well. They rode wave after wave of success in America, selling every single car they could make, winning accolade after accolade, avoiding the recalls and scandals that plagued their competitors. If one subscribes to the narrative popular with us gearheads, then the mid-2000s are the start of Honda’s decline into beigeland. But this is a narrow-minded view that has little grounding in reality. Sales of Honda’s core products – the Accord, CR-V and Civic – have been exceptionally strong on a consistent basis. The CR-V, a vehicle so boring that even my own mother admitted that it was a dull drive, is the best example of how Honda’s ingenuity is far from dead. The little features, like the knee-high cargo floor, the multi-angle backup camera and the one-touch rear folding seats, are what the other 99.9 percent of buyers care about. Honda knows what side their bread is buttered on. But these days, Honda’s innovation and engineering skill manifest themselves in the Fit’s Magic Seat rather than the Prelude’s 4WS system.

So what about us? What about the people who yearn for something that’s exciting to drive and look at? Here, Honda’s legendary adherence to their convictions starts to border on arrogance. Having long believed in environmental stewardship before it was trendy (think 4-cylinder engines, light weight and the S2000 having LEV certification), Honda foisted upon us cars like the CR-Z.  Substantial tax breaks on hybrid cars in Japan created a situation where the rest of the world was forced to accept this oddball product. The fact that nobody wanted the car was immaterial. Honda felt that was the right thing to do, and that they could create a market for it.

This strategy may have worked in previous eras, but Honda wasn’t prepared for a fundamental shift in the car market – they no longer had a monopoly on good cars. Pick up a car magazine from a decade ago, and there was a clear stratification in commodity segments like the compact and mid-size segments. Back then, mentioning the Kia Optima and the Honda Accord in the same breath would have been a farcical notion. Ditto the Cavalier and the Civic. Now, one could make the case that the Optima and the Cruze are equal to their Honda counterparts, something that would have been previously unthinkable. The democratization of quality wiped out much of Honda’s competitive advantage.

Ironically, the 2012 Civic might be our best hope for a change in Honda’s attitude. Despite being a perennial whipping boy among the enthusiast press, the Civic sold in astonishing volumes. Even though it took substantial incentives and lease deals to move units, the Civic destroyed the competition, outselling the Toyota Corolla/Matrix (for sales ranking purposes, they count as one) by nearly 27,000 units. With 317,909 Civics sold in 2012, Honda beat Mazda’s entire sales total with one model alone.

If this were any other era Honda -the Honda of old, the one that retained CVCC long after catalytic converters had become old tech, the one that built a brand new factory for its all-aluminum, hand-built supercar –  would have given the press a giant middle finger and continued to pump these cars out. But they didn’t, because things are different now. They re-grouped, admitted they made a bad bet and tweaked the car after just over a year on the market. In the conservative, risk-averse culture of Honda that prizes saving face above all else, this is tantamount to an admission of gross incompetence. It may not be what we were hoping for, but the first step to fixing things is admitting that you have a problem.

Source;
 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/02/generation-why-whats-eating-soichiro-honda/

Honda and Acura first automakers to offer Siri “Eyes Free”

by Nick Jaynes of www.digitaltrends.com

Nine automakers have agreed to welcome Siri into their vehicles. Honda and Acura are the fist out the gate for 2013 on selected models. Unfortunately, details on what Siri will be capable of accomplishing are slim.

Both Honda and Acura announced this morning that both would be integrating the hotly anticipated Apple Siri “Eyes Free” into a select few of their vehicles this year.

As soon as the systems are in place, 2013 Honda and Acura owners with an iPhone running iOS 6 will be able to call upon Siri to execute a number of tasks all the while keeping the iPhone screen from lighting up. This allows the driver to keep his or her hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road.

What are these tasks and how will specifically will Siri be integrated into the Honda and Acura infotainment systems? According to Honda Public Relations Manager Robyn Eagles, “Siri Eyes Free Mode will allow users to speak in their natural voice to perform a host of communication tasks, including make calls from a phone list, create text and email messages, and have incoming texts read to them via voice commands without having to interact with their phone’s visual display.”

The Honda and Acura vehicles scheduled to see the Eyes Free integration are the newest in the lineup: the Accord from Honda; and the RDX and the ILX from Acura.

So far, nine automakers have signed agreements with Apple to include Siri Eyes Free into their infotainment systems: BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Honda, and Chrysler. Honda, the parent company of Acura, appears to be the first to the game with this announcement.

How and when other automakers will massage Siri into their pre-existing systems has yet to be seen. As soon as more information is learned, we’ll be sure to bring it to you.


Source;
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/honda-and-acura-first-automakers-to-offer-siri-eyes-free/

2013 Ward's Best Engines: Honda 2.4L DOHC I-4

Honda proves a bread-and-butter engine, its all-new 2.4L direct-injection 4-cyl. in the Accord, is more like a piled-high deli sandwich.

by Tom Murphy of www.wardsauto.com

Bread-and-butter engines make the auto industry go ’round, but they rarely dazzle us with superb refinement or sportiness.

These types of high-volume engines are in affordable cars, and their mission is simple: Deliver the occupant reliably from Point A to Point B and blend into the woodwork.

Only a handful of these unsung heroes have earned Ward’s 10 Best Engines honors over the years, and 2013’s standout among this segment is Honda’s all-new 2.4L direct-injection 4-cyl. in the Accord.

Honda’s first DI engine in North America, branded as “Earth Dreams,” is loaded with compelling technologies, including a forged-steel crankshaft with journals micropolished to reduce friction and a pair of chain-driven counter-rotating balance shafts located in the oil pan to offset harmonic vibrations inherent in 4-cyl. engines.

The addition of fuel being injected directly required a completely re-engineered combustion chamber and a new “dished” surface for the piston crowns to enable stable combustion and proper distribution of the stratified fuel charge.

The flatter, more compact combustion chamber reduces unburned hydrocarbon emissions and contributes to a higher compression ratio of 11.1:1, up from 10.5:1 on the previous 2.4L.

Within the cylinder, engineers set out to reduce sliding friction by offsetting the bores from the crankshaft by 0.3 ins. (8 mm), which gives the connecting rods a more favorable angle during each power stroke, boosting efficiency.

Mass was taken out wherever possible, resulting in a 3.5% reduction in overall engine weight compared with Honda’s previous-generation 2.4L.

Part of that weight savings comes from eliminating the exhaust manifold – an emerging trend for a number of new engines – and incorporating exhaust passages directly into the cylinder head.

This new design allows the close-coupled catalyst to mount directly to the cylinder head, on the front side of the engine, enabling it to heat up faster for reduced emissions. The transversely oriented 2.4L also stands more upright now, whereas the previous engine vented on the back side and slanted rearward 15 degrees.

All this technology adds up to an engine that caught WardsAuto editors off-guard for its power and smoothness.

Over the course of a 537-mile (864-km) test drive, two editors exceeded 33 mpg (7.1 L/100 km) in this generously proportioned sedan that gets up to speed with no problem thanks to 189 hp, ample low-end torque and a wonderful mid-range punch.

“Honda proves once again it isn’t about the numbers,” WardsAuto editor Drew Winter writes on his score sheet. “This engine is fun and sporty. It’s an excellent, practical engine that delivers both performance and fuel economy in unassuming fashion.”

Under a heavy boot, as engine speed builds past 4,800 rpm, Honda’s well-established VTEC variable valve-timing system transitions to a high-lift, long-duration intake cam profile for outstanding high-rpm engine power. And it all happens with regular unleaded gasoline.

Worthy of a shoutout are two new transmissions that help this 2.4L engine truly shine.

A 6-speed manual in the Accord Sport amps up the fun quotient, and driving enthusiasts also will eagerly accept the all-new continuously variable transmission, developed internally to demonstrate that CVTs aren’t just for poky hybrids.

With excellent transmissions, Honda’s 2.4L DI engine isn't just a bread-and-butter 4-cyl.

Now it's a piled-high deli sandwich.

Source;
http://wardsauto.com/vehicles-amp-technology/honda-24l-dohc-i-4 

Introducing HondaLink

Honda shows off future auto tech

by Richard Russell of 'You Auto Know'

TOCHIGI, Japan — Honda fans rejoice, the company you have come to respect for its engineering prowess is back.

There has been a bit of a draught on that front in recent years but a flood of new products and technologies will soon take care of that.

During an intensive ‘Deep Dive’ at the company’s Research and Development Center here about two hours northwest of Tokyo, we were given a look at what is ahead and a chance to drive prototypes being used to evaluate these future technologies.

Honda has always been an engineering-led company so it was a relief to see a raft of new engines and transmissions ready for, or already into, production.

Engines

On the engine front, there are new 1.5-, 1.8- and 2.4-litre four-cylinder engines coming to market as you read this, the first in the new 2013 Accord.

Like every Honda engine from this point forward, from 660-cc to 3.5 litres, it has direct injection and variable valve timing.

We saw a new 1.6-litre aluminum diesel engine stuffed with weight saving and friction reducing technology.

Start pestering your local Honda dealer for this one. If enough of them ask, Honda will supply.

Transmission

The team has developed a trio of new CVT (Continuously Variable Transmissions) automatics for use in tiny, small land medium-sized cars.

Every effort has been made to inject some fun and feeling back into these units. But those feature prominently in a pair of new seven-speed dual clutch transmissions with built-in high-power electric motors, one for hybrids and another for regular applications.

The electric motors provide assist during acceleration and at high cruising speeds while serving as a generator when slowing.

The version developed for plug-in hybrids has two motors within the CVT. I managed 60 km/hr. in the normal hybrid and 100 km/hr in the plug-in on pure electric power.

They have also come up with a new coaxial gearbox integrated into the motor of the Fit EV (electric vehicle).

It provides three stages of power depending on the degree of accelerator travel, varying from 47 kW through 75kW to 92 kW.

Steering and suspension

There are two major developments in this area — a new SH-AWD system and all-wheel-steering.
A newly-developed drive unit has separate electric motors for each rear wheel.

In a corner, the motor at the outside wheel applies positive torque while the inside one exerts negative power.

By making the outside wheel go slightly faster and the inside slightly slower, the car follows the intended line more closely.

The energy generated while the inside wheel is in negative mode, is used to power the outside motor.
Add to this Precision All-Wheel Steering and you’ve got a pretty amazing package. An electric actuator in the tow control link at each rear wheel uses information from the engine, vehicle stability assist system and electric power steering and to extend or retract an arm and adjust the toe-in of each rear wheel by up to two degrees in either direction.

Unlike mechanical systems, this one can control each wheel separately allowing it to contribute to stability during cornering. It also applies toe-in during extreme braking to further aid in stability and reduce stopping distances

Safety

A City Brake Active System controls speed through various traffic lights to reduce consumption and fuel use.

In a demonstration the car equipped with the system proceeded steadily through a series of traffic lights without changing speed while the vehicle in adjacent lane, without it, sped away and came to stop at each light.

We also saw a system of vehicle-to-vehicle communication that predicts possible risk at intersections, greatly reducing rear-end, motorcycle. car and pedestrian collisions.

Dubbed Intelligent Communication Technologies, it will require buy-in from different manufacturers and participation by various levels of governments down to municipal level to install systems
Autonomous Emergency Brake, similar to others I have sampled in Europe, it uses a combination of camera and radar to recognize an object’s size, position, speed and direction and predict the risk of a collision, applying the brakes automatically to bring the vehicle to a full stop.

A new intelligent cruise control system monitors up to six vehicles in adjacent traffic. If it knows the speed of the vehicle pulling in front of you is the same as or greater than yours, it knows there is no need to alter the speed of your vehicle.

Vehicles

We drove an European Accord equipped with the drivetrain bound for the 2014 Acura RLS (formerly RL) coming in the spring. A 3.5-litre V7 producing more than 310 horsepower drives the front wheels.

Each rear wheel is driven by its own 20-plus horsepower electric motor. The new seven-speed dual clutch automatic has a third electric motor within, this one putting out more than 30 horsepower.

The new SH-AWD system thus is able to drive all four wheels simultaneously — but separately. The motor at the outside rear wheel applies positive torque in corners to help push the car into he intended line.

The motor on the inside wheel applies negative torque to slow that one slightly tugging the car into the turn. The kinetic energy developed by the inside wheel is converted to power for the other motor.
The trick rear-steer system mentioned above is also incorporated.

The driving impression were: V8-like power delivered in a smooth and progressive fashion, near neutral handling with gobs of stick and amazing braking.

This same drivetrain, re-arranged to accommodate a mid-ship engine placement, will be further enhanced and used in the upcoming NSX sports car.

At the other end of the scale we drove an N-One, Honda’s entry in the K-Class so popular in Japan. Restricted to 660 cc, these little devils are everywhere you look. Honda got around the displacement restriction by turbocharging the engine.

They were unwilling to talk horsepower but on the big track I got the box-shaped test mule up to 172 km/hr before running out of room.

The CIVIC Type-R — We didn’t get to drive one, but expect a turbocharged engine developed during the company’s recent foray in the World Touring Car Championships.

Source;
http://thechronicleherald.ca/wheelsnews/185336-honda-shows-off-future-auto-tech

Honda's HEARBO robot has excellent hearing

by Jason Falconer of www.gizmag.com

A team led by Kazuhiro Nakadai at Honda Research Institute-Japan (HRI-JP) is improving how robots process and understand sound. The robot, aptly called HEARBO (HEARing roBOt), can parse four sounds (including voices) at once, and can tell where the sounds are coming from. The system, called HARK, could allow future robot servants to better understand verbal commands from several meters away.

The HARK system (HRI-JP Audition for Robots with Kyoto University) processes audible noise with eight microphones inside the robot's head. First the software singles out the sounds generated by its 17 motors, which are cancelled in real-time in a process known as "ego-noise suppression." It then processes the remaining audio, while applying a sound source localization algorithm to pinpoint the origin of a sound to within one degree of accuracy.

"By using HARK, we can record and visualize, in real time, who spoke and from where in a room," explains Nakadai on the HRI-JP website. "We may be able to pick up voices of a specific person in a crowded area, or take minutes of a meeting with information on who spoke what by evolving this technology."

In one experiment, the robot took food orders from four people speaking simultaneously – and knew who had ordered what. In another experiment, the robot played a game of rock-paper-scissors with three people. Each person said either rock, paper, or scissors at the same time, and the robot was able to determine who won. Others have taught the robot what different musical instruments sound like, which could allow the robot to separate a song into various parts.

HARK allows the robot to parse up to four speakers simultaneously, as shown in this example of "verbal rock-paper-scissors"

HARK represents just one domain of artificial intelligence known as robot audition, which any practical robot helper will require in daily life. Honda has reportedly invested more than US$60 million dollars into its humanoid robot, ASIMO, with plans to one day commercialize. Earlier work by the same team was applied to the latest version of ASIMO, which can understand different words spoken by three people simultaneously.

In the first video demonstration below, HEARBO is bombarded with a beeping alarm clock, music, and a person speaking to it. Not only can it distinguish between the types of sound it is hearing, but it turns its head in the direction of the sound it is seeking. In the second demonstration, the robot listens to verbal commands while music plays. It estimates the song's tempo and dances to the rhythm, and performs ego-noise suppression to cancel out its own servo noise.

Source:
http://www.gizmag.com/honda-hearbo-robot-excellent-hearing/25087/

Honda launches new engine offensive

by Graeme Fletcher of  National Post

TOCHIGI, JAPAN  Honda has suddenly awoken from the slumber that has seen several of its recent product launches arrive with what was essentially a carryover powertrain. Having introduced three new hybrid systems (see page DT4), Honda’s under-hood engineering is about to get a major overhaul.

The activity will see a new range of engines, each of which will now feature direct injection along with Honda’s iVTEC system and variable cam phasing. The first of the new breed is the base engine in the recently released Honda Accord — a 2.4-litre four with 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The lineup will grow in the coming years to include a 1.0L three-cylinder engine, 1.5L, 1.8L and 2.0L four-cylinder engines and a range-topping 3.5L V6. More intriguing is that all, with the exception of the V6, will be offered with turbocharging.

While the horsepower and torque numbers of the three- and four-
cylinder engines will not be made available until closer to launch time, there was a hint: When I asked an engineer about the potency of the 1.0L turbocharged engine, he played coy, but he could not resist smiling broadly and nodding when I suggested it would make in excess of 120 hp.

I drove a Honda Fit equipped with the new 1.5L engine and CVT transmission. While I am still not overly enamoured with the transmission, the engine proved to be just fine. The tip-in response is crisper than the current engine and it has a noticeably stronger pull through the mid-range (a claimed 15% improvement in acceleration performance). It is also more fuel efficient — more than 10%. Expect this combination to debut when the current Fit is overhauled. This will likely happen when Honda’s new assembly plant in Mexico comes on line in 2014.

There is more known about the 3.5L V6. Along with the direct injection and iVTEC with cam phasing, it will earn cylinder deactivation. Under light loads, it shuts down three of its six cylinders and uses active noise cancelling to mask the change in the engine’s tonal quality. It also boasts plenty of power. The preliminary numbers say 310 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. This represents a 5% increase in torque and a 10% boost in fuel economy compared with the current 3.5L V6.

Another of the pleasant surprises, and one that would work very nicely in the CR-V, is a totally new 1.6L turbodiesel. While it only produces 120 hp, it twists out 221 lb-ft of torque — the CR-V’s gas engine makes 185 hp and 163 lb-ft. This means there would be little change in performance (I suspect it might actually improve at the low end), but there would be a huge step forward in fuel economy. The CR-V and its gas engine is rated at 6.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway; the turbodiesel is rated at 3.6 L/100 km.

The engine that truly shocked me was under the hood of the overtly funky N-One. This tiny car has surprising roominess along with the right features and flexibility — it would be a great addition to Honda Canada’s portfolio and the perfect foil for the likes of the Fiat 500, Mini and Smart fortwo. Alas, this is not likely to happen any time soon.

What surprised me was its engine. Displacing a mere 660 cubic centimetres (yes, 0.66L), I was not expecting much as I headed out on to the high-banked oval that rings Honda’s R&D facility. Cranking it to life saw it produce the grumbly sound engines with an odd number of cylinders tend to make. In short, as I pulled out on to the oval, I was prepared to be less than impressed.

Standing on the gas, however, saw this retro-styled box pick up its side sills and romp off toward the first corner. While this diminutive mill only puts out 63 hp and 77 lb-ft of torque at 2,600 rpm, it is enough to deliver impressive performance in this application. Firing its power through a broad-ratio CVT, the N-One scooted to 100 kilometres an hour as quickly as any self-respecting car with a naturally aspirated 1.3L engine under the hood. Hitting the back straightaway saw the speedometer needle sweep past its 140-km/h maximum and point straight down. Here was a tiny ride scooting along at 150 km/h or so and feeling entirely comfortable in the process. At the end of the lap, I pulled into the pit lane mightily impressed. Not only did it have surprising alacrity in posting a speed I did not expect to see, it delivers a claimed average fuel economy of 5.4 L/100 km in the process.

The smile-inducing ride proved to be a race-prepared CR-Z — a racing suspension (as in virtually no travel!), a roll cage and deep-dish front seats with five-point harnesses. While the engine was stock, meaning 122 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque at 1,000 rpm, it had a very neat feature — a lone paddle shifter on the right side of the steering wheel. Rather than altering the CVT’s ratios, it offered a pull-to-pass function. Running down the long straight of the banked oval at 130 km/h, I pulled said paddle and the electric motor kicked in to give the CR-Z the benefit of its ponies. In the normal CR-Z, the computer determines when and how the electric motor assists. True, the ability to tinker with the hybrid’s operational characteristics runs contrary to the green theme of this sporty runabout, but it would be a very welcome addition to the road-going version.

Source;
 http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/11/19/honda-launches-new-engine-offensive/

Five Things We Learned About Honda’s Future Product Plans

After sampling prototype vehicles and touring Honda’s crash-testing facility, we had a chance to sit down with a group of American journalists and ask Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Takanobu Ito about his company’s future product plans. Here are five key things we learned.

1. Honda wants more sporty cars… eventually
“I want!” Ito exclaimed in a rare burst of English when a reporter asks whether Honda will build more sports cars in the vein of the old Integra, Prelude, and S2000. Sadly, that’s as close as we got to a confirmation that Honda will keep building fun cars. Ito said he knew that Honda should make attractive, appealing, and interesting cars, but wouldn’t speak to the actual possibility of more sports cars. But he said direct-injection and turbocharged engines would help with those goals. Honda has already committed to making the next-generation Civic Type R the fastest front-wheel-drive car to ever lap the Nürburgring.

Asked about the possibility of a new dedicated sports car like the S2000, Honda managing officer Toshihiko Nonaka said, “We don’t really have a concrete plan yet.”

2. Honda will use both dual-clutch and continuously variable transmissions
Honda has long used CVTs in fuel efficient vehicles and hybrids, and even in the new 2013 Honda Accord four-cylinder, yet the tech briefing showed several prototype hybrids with dual-clutch transmissions. So which transmission option will Honda use going forward? Both.

Honda maintains that CVTs are generally the better solution for all-out fuel economy, but recognizes that dual-clutch transmissions are much more fun to drive and sporty. Cars that are designed only with fuel economy in mind will continue to use CVTs, but premium and sportier vehicles will get dual-clutch setups.

“DCT is intended for sporty experience for vehicles,” Nonaka explained. “[It's] not just for hybrids, and can be combined with regular sportier gasoline engines.”

3. The driver is still in charge
Despite the large number of active-safety systems on display here, Ito maintains that the driver is always in charge of Honda vehicles. He related the story of naming Honda’s electronic stability control system several years ago: while German supplier Bosch preferred the name end in “control,” Ito wanted to call it “Vehicle Stability Assist” to point out that the system helps, rather than takes over from, the driver. In much the same way, Ito says that active safety systems should protect against crashes without overriding the driver’s intentions and making driving boring.

“The driver should be responsible for having fun while driving, at the same time he should be responsible for safe driving,” Ito said. “We would like to respect the driver’s will as much as possible… At the same time, we would like to provide [technology] to provide the safest driving.”

4. Downsized turbocharged engines are on the way
Honda has already confirmed that the next Civic Type R will use a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine based on that of the Civic WTCC race car. After that, Honda will begin offering more downsized turbocharged engines in future products. The move comes a fair bit after most other automakers switched from V-6 engines to turbo four-cylinders, due to the fact that Honda is only just starting to tinker with direct fuel injection.

“First of all, the main key is that we are successful in developing direct injection engines,” said Ito. “By adopting turbocharging systems, we get can have an engine with better fuel efficiency as well as better performance.

Nonaka says that Honda will show a downsized turbo gasoline engine at the next Honda Meeting — which will probably be in fall 2013.

5. Honda wants to appeal to younger buyers
Automakers all around the world are struggling as young people eschew buying cars in favor of public transportation and buying fancy smartphones and tablet computers. Ito appeared troubled by this trend and says he believes that this is partly because there are no exciting cars that appeal to young people.

“For young people to buy cars, they need to find automobiles in general interesting,” Ito said.

“Maybe the car manufacturers, including ourselves, may be a little complacent in our efforts to build real fun and excitement, and making cars interesting and attractive to young people.”

He also said that many young people simply can’t afford new cars — not only because of the purchase price, but also because the cost of car ownership (mainly fuel costs) keep increasing. Ito thinks that improving Honda vehicle fuel economy will help make the company’s new cars more accessible to younger customers.

Source;

http://rumors.automobilemag.com/five-things-we-learned-about-hondas-future-product-plans-184343.html

Honda Demonstrates Automatic Emergency Braking, Green Wave, And i-ACC Technologies

Tokyo — Honda has set itself the ambitious goal of having zero collisions in its cars ten years from now, and hinges most of that safety improvement on adding active safety features that help prevent accidents, as well as Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) technologies to give drivers more warning about their surroundings. We sampled some of the new ideas at a briefing at Honda’s R&D center in Japan.

The first new feature is Automatic Emergency Braking. Like similar systems from other automakers AEB sounds an alarm inside the cabin and can apply the brakes if a front-end collision is imminent. The system is aimed at reducing pedestrian fatalities and currently only works at speeds up to 37 mph, but it proved very effective in our brief test. We drove a test car fitted with AEB at a steady 31 mph toward a dummy of a pedestrian. As we approached, the car’s instrument cluster flashed a warning and produced loud chirping, then the system applied full braking power and stopped the car a few feet away from the pedestrian cutout. AEB brakes so aggressively that the tires chirped and the ABS system activated. We repeated the demo with another pedestrian cutout that was suddenly pushed out in front of our car, and AEB stopped the car equally well.

AEB uses input from a windshield-mounted camera and a millimeter-wave radar sensor in the car’s grille. That allows the car to determine the position, speed, and even direction of a pedestrian. The system can also prevent crashes with cars or other solid objects that are at least one meter (three feet) tall.  Based on crash data from Japan, Honda estimates that AEB could prevent about 90 percent of all pedestrian fatalities caused by cars traveling 37 mph or slower.

Riding The Green Wave
Honda’s so-called Green Wave technology aims to promote safety and better fuel economy by providing the driver with directions on how to drive. Infrared transmitters on traffic lights transmit data to sensors in the car’s passenger window and dashboard, which interpret the information and display in on a screen mounted in the dashboard. Honda used IR technology rather than radio waves because many Japanese traffic lights already have IR transmitters, and the government plans to overall and expand the V2I transmitters within the next two or three years.

The first part of the Green Wave recommends a driving speed at which the car will reach the next traffic light when it’s green. In our test Japanese-market Honda Odyssey, this meant we traveled at 26 mph while a control car in the adjacent lane drove at about 35 mph. While the other car had to brake, stop at a simulated red light, and then accelerate again, we breezed through the fake intersection about five seconds after the light turned green. This is designed to promote smoother, more fuel-efficient urban driving, and to reduce the risk of rear-end collisions from frequent stop-and-go traffic. But it might frustrate other drivers who wonder why you’re driving so slowly.

Green Wave also lets drivers know when traffic lights will turn green, so they’re less likely to be rear-ended by impatient drivers. A series of five bars on the in-car screen counts down, until it displays “Confirm road ahead” and the traffic light turns green. Honda believes Green Wave could go into production in about two to three years.

Adaptive Cruise Control With Cut-In Prediction
i-ACC is Honda’s enhancement of adaptive cruise control, which benefits from a new feature called Cut-In Prediction. With normal adaptive cruise systems, the computer will brake aggressively and then subsequently re-accelerate when another vehicle changes lanes in front of the car. Honda’s system, by contrast, guesses when a car in an adjacent lane may move over and adjusts its speed pro-actively.

i-ACC uses a camera and radar to track up to six vehicles, and uses information like closing speeds between vehicles to determine which cars are likely to change lanes. Honda says Cut-In Prediction can react up to five seconds earlier than normal adaptive cruise control, keeping a safer distance between vehicles and also saving fuel by driving more smoothly. The front-facing camera can also be tasked with lane-departure warning and traffic-sign recognition duties. Honda showed a static demo of i-ACC in an Accord sedan, but didn’t allow us to test the system.

Source;

http://rumors.automobilemag.com/honda-demonstrates-automatic-emergency-braking-green-wave-and-i-acc-technologies-184295.html

Honda Micro Commuter prototype previews future city-sized EV

The 2013 Honda Micro Commuter prototype has been unveiled in Tokyo, symbolising the beginning of a new phase in the Japanese manufacturer’s electric vehicle development.

The second-generation prototype trades many of the futuristic elements of the original Micro Commuter concept from 2011′s Tokyo motor show, replacing them with a more practical, user-friendly design intended to be suitable for use on public roads.

Honda plans to begin testing the pint-sized Micro Commuter in Japan next year, establishing the potential of the short-range EV in a number of different environments and conditions, with a view to launching a new zero-emission production car suitable for Japan and Europe in the coming years.

At 2500mm long, 1250mm wide and 1445mm tall, the Honda Micro Commuter is 195mm shorter, 309mm narrower and 97mm lower than the Smart Fortwo.

A lithium-ion battery positioned under the floor spins a 15kW electric motor, which propels the sub-400kg Micro Commuter to its 80km/h top speed.

Honda says the prototype has a range of approximately 60km and can be recharged in less than three hours.

The Honda Micro Commuter features a McLaren F1-style central driving position, and can be arranged to accommodate either two children or one adult passenger in the rear.

Connecting an iPad or similar tablet device to the dashboard gives the driver access to all of the vehicle’s internal functions, including instruments and meters, audio, navigation and reversing camera display.

Solar cells on the roof recharge the tablet’s battery, and Honda says it is investigating the potential to harness solar energy to enhance the Micro Commuter’s driving performance.

Honda believes low-range EVs like the Micro Commuter have the potential to revolutionise personal transportation for a number of road users, including families with small children, senior citizens, home delivery services and car-share users.

Source;
http://www.caradvice.com.au/200362/honda-micro-commuter-prototype-previews-future-city-sized-ev/

Honda Develops New Lightweight and Compact Hybrid System Named “SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive”

Three Different Honda SPORT HYBRID Systems Accommodate Different Vehicle Characteristics

11/12/2012 - TOKYO

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has developed a new SPORTS HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive system, a lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system optimized for small-sized vehicles. This new hybrid system will be the latest addition to the Earth Dreams Technology series of next generation powertrain technology that realizes both excellent driving performance and high fuel efficiency.

Together with the SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Multi Mode Drive, the world's most efficient¹ two-motor hybrid system optimized for mid-sized vehicles, and the SPORT HYBRID SH-AWD® (Super Handling - All Wheel Drive), the three-motor hybrid system optimized for large-sized vehicles enabling independent control of torque distribution to both right and left rear wheels, the newly developed SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive will constitute the lineup of three different Honda SPORT HYBRID systems that accommodate different vehicle characteristics. Honda will continue expanding the application of these hybrid systems based on vehicle characteristics.

SPORT HYBRID Systems Lineup
One-motor SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive
In addition to top-level fuel efficiency in its class², the fun of driving is realized with acceleration g-force more powerful than that of existing models as well as a rhythmic and linear acceleration feeling. This drive unit combines a newly developed inline 4-cylinder 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine with a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) system with a built-in high-output motor and a Lithium-Ion battery to improve efficiency by more than 30 percent compared to a conventional one-motor hybrid system.  

• The combination of the one-motor hybrid system and the engine realizes sporty driving during acceleration and high-speed cruising by using the clutches to engage the engine  
• Highly efficient electric vehicle (EV) driving is realized during startup and low- to medium-speed cruising by using the clutches to disengage the engine
• This system contributes to the improvement of fuel efficiency by increasing energy regeneration using the clutches to disengage the engine during deceleration  

Two-motor SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Multi Mode Drive / Plug-in:
Through the adoption of high-efficiency/high-output motors, both brisk acceleration with an EV-like driving feel and high fuel efficiency are realized at the same time. This hybrid system realizes the world's highest efficiency¹ by combining a newly-developed engine dedicated to hybrid vehicles coupled with two built-in motors and a lock-up clutch, along with a Lithium-Ion battery, and by optimally switching the driving mode among three different profiles depending on the driving situation. This hybrid system, which is also suitable as a plug-in hybrid system, will be available in the North American version of the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in, scheduled to be introduced to the market in January 2013. The system switches the operation among the following three driving modes depending on driving conditions and the battery charge level:

• "EV Drive" for driving by the electric motor only, using electricity from the battery and regeneration during deceleration
• "Engine Drive" for medium-to high-speed cruising with the engine and axle directly connected by a lock-up clutch, with engine power mechanically transferred to the wheels
• "Hybrid Drive" for urban driving and powerful acceleration using the motor with electricity generated by the engine

Three-motor SPORT HYBRID SH-AWD ® (Super Handling - All Wheel Drive):
The combination of a V-6 engine and this high-output three-motor system realizes acceleration performance equivalent to that of a V-8 engine with fuel efficiency better than that of an inline 4-cylinder engine. A new direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 engine is installed in the front of the vehicle and combined with a newly-developed 7-speed DCT system with a built-in motor. This unique Honda technology uses two electric motors installed in the rear to control torque distribution to the right and left rear wheels.

• Using independent motors for the right and left rear wheels, positive torque is applied to the outside wheel and negative torque is applied to the inside wheel, making independent control of torque distribution to the rear wheels possible without relying on engine output
• Depending on the radius of the curve, the energy generated by the inside wheel is recovered electrically and applied to the outside wheel to self-generate torque necessary for the vehicle to make the turn

¹ Per Honda internal research as of August 2012
² Hybrid systems for a 1.5L engines  

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-develops-new-lightweight-and-compact-hybrid-system-named-sport-hybrid-intelligent-dual-clutch-drive

One Pricey ‘Civic’: Honda Starts Production of $4.5 Million Airplane

Honda said its production line will be able to turn out 80 planes in a year.

By Jonathan Welsh

For years people squawked about the roughly $80,000 price of the first-generation Acura NSX, an exotic sports car from Honda Motor Co.’s luxury-car division. Who would pay so much for what is, in the end, “just a Honda?”

Well, how does $4.5 million sound – for what some people call a Civic?

Honda said its aircraft unit has begun production of the HondaJet, a twin-engine light jet aircraft designed for the business and personal-transport market. Some insiders have called the plane the Civic of the skies in part because it incorporates design and manufacturing techniques used to build the company’s Civic economy car.

In flipping the switch on its jet assembly line, Honda is marking another milestone on the way to FAA certification and delivery to customers. The jet, which has a number of unique design features, made its first flight in late 2010 and reached a top speed of 489 mph in testing early the following year.

Back then Honda said it would begin production in 2012 and and deliver the jet to its first customer in the third quarter of the same year. So the company missed the second goal. But in the plane business that’s not necessarily big deal. Other companies developing light jets, including longtime aircraft makers like Piper, Cirrus and others, have postponed or scrapped their small-jet programs.

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/11/04/one-pricey-civic-honda-starts-production-of-4-5-million-airplane/?mod=google_news_blog

The Secrets behind Honda’s Success

The current economic climate is one of the most difficult since the Great Depression. Many carmakers have been on the verge of bankruptcy. Sales of some car makes and models have suffered, as consumers have taken on different priorities in this economy. However, one company continues to stand out and has been rather resilient during these tough times. This would be Honda whose sales figures have been consistent.

Seeing the economic problems of most carmakers while Honda is prospering leads many to wonder why this is happening. Currently a myriad of factors are helping Honda remain on the top. One major change in this economy is seeing consumers veer away from trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles are not only more expensive to purchase but much more expensive to maintain. Fuel efficiency is definitely not one benefit of purchasing a vehicle in this class. This is one reason that Honda is faring well in this economic climate. Their line of vehicles is not dependent upon truck or SUV sales. While they do offer them, they depend more on their car sales. These include a range of types of car such as the Hybrid model Honda CR-Z.

The brand name, Honda, also has quite a great deal of loyalty surrounding it. This helps keep consumers coming back for more. Consumers view Hondas as being high quality vehicles as well as reliable. Honda cars also maintain high resale values; more than other brands currently on the market.

Honda vehicles are also perceived by consumers as being fuel-efficient choices. Today’s consumers are aware of the high fuel prices, and so they want a car they will require less fuel which in turn will save them money. In fact, Honda has built its brand around this aspect of fuel efficiency. Coupled with that the inclusion of the environmentally friendly hybrid models, Hondas are excellent choices for today’s consumers.

Source;
http://www.inautonews.com/the-secrets-behind-hondas-success#.UG0DWFF1trV

Summary of CEO Speech on September 21, 2012

• In 2010, I set Honda’s “Direction for the next 10 years” which is "to provide good products to our customers with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions." Since then, we have been devoting our full efforts in leveraging Honda’s unique technologies, ideas and ingenuity to create attractive products that please our customers who purchased such products. In addition, as a manufacturer of personal mobility products, we have been proactively executing various initiatives which contribute to a significant reduction of CO2 emissions.
• In 2011, we were forced to deal with the unprecedented appreciation of the yen and the
  temporary suspension of production around the world and the shortage of electricity due to
  the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in Thailand. However,
  thanks to the cooperation of our suppliers, business partners, and the efforts of Honda
  associates, we achieved a speedy recovery and as of today we are ready to make a
  counterattack.
• Since its foundation, Honda has been delivering various products with a passion to use
  technology to make people’s lives more convenient and enjoyable. Our products have
  been pleasing customers all around the world by making their work easier, increasing their
  mobility and adding more fun and convenience to their lives. In the previous fiscal year
  (ended March 31, 2012), Honda shared the joys with more than 23.9 million customers
  around the world including: 15 million motorcycle customers, 5.8 million power products
  customers and 3.1 million automobile customers.
• In FY2017 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2017) — the last fiscal year of our next 3-year
  mid-term plan – we will strive to further expand the joys by meeting more than 39 million new
  customers around the world combining motorcycle, power products and automobile customers.

[Automobile business]

• In the area of automobile business, in order for Honda to quickly address the needs of
  customers around the world, Honda will implement global operation reform, which will
  enable Honda to realize the best vehicle specifications with competitive costs. Three key
  initiatives which will be taken as a part of this global operation reform are: 1) concurrent
  development by all six regions, 2) adoption of locally optimized design drawings and 3)
  improvement of production efficiency.
• This global operation reform has been implemented for the development of the all-new Fit
  (Jazz) series which will be introduced starting in 2013. Within two years after the initial
  market introduction of the all-new Fit in 2013, Honda will globally roll-out Fit (Jazz), City
  and a new small SUV model, each with different individual characteristics.
• As in the case of advanced nations, Honda will respond quickly to various market needs in
  rapidly-growing emerging markets while adapting each model to the industrial
  infrastructures of each country and region. Toward this end, Honda will pursue
  “concurrent development by all six regions”, where each region participates in product
  development concurrently and at the same level from the early stage of the development.
  Introducing the same model in all regions within a short period of time enables Honda to
  secure a certain level of production volume on a global basis from an early stage of the
  product introduction, and the cost of parts sourcing can be significantly reduced by
  producing a large volume of parts all at once in the most competitive region.
• Meanwhile, in order to create products that directly respond to the voice of local
  customers while utilizing the local sourcing and production infrastructure to the maximum
  extent, Honda will adopt locally optimized design drawings. Honda is fully committed to
  maximize the joy of customers in each region.
• Honda will further improve production efficiency by dedicating new plants to the
  production of small-sized vehicles, such as Yorii Plant （SAITAMA prefecture）, which
  will become operational in July 2013, and a new plant in Mexico, which will become
  operational in spring 2014.
• Honda will fulfill the unique customer needs of each region while expanding economies
  of scale in global sourcing and production.
• In Japan, Honda will strive to sustain its growth through advancement of the production
  system and capability and also through enhancement of the small vehicle lineup including
  mini-vehicles.
• In the area of production, starting in April of this year, development, procurement and
  quality control teams came together at Suzuka Factory to establish a speedy and highly
  efficient development and production system. While producing mostly mini-vehicles,
  Suzuka Factory is making progress in establishing a self-sufficient production system.
• The Yorii and Sayama Plants of Saitama Factory, will each have unique features and
  strengthen their own area of specialty.
• Yorii Plant, which will lead the global production operations of Honda, will be the world’s
  top-class energy-saving factory which employs a number of innovative technologies.
  Through the introduction of new production technologies, Yorii Plant will establish a
  highly-efficient production structure, which will be dedicated to the centralized production
  of small-sized vehicles such as the all-new Fit Series.
• At Sayama Plant, a portion of two existing production lines will be consolidated to further
  advance the plant’s multi-model production capability, so that the plant will establish a
  highly-efficient production system which is capable of producing more than 10 different
  models on the same line.
• In the area of sales, the N BOX, whose overwhelmingly smart packaging has been well
  received by customers, achieved the remarkable accomplishment of being the industry’s
  top-selling car in the mini-vehicle category for five consecutive months in Japan.
• Honda will further strengthen the product lineup through the introduction of six new
  mini-vehicle models in Japan by the end of 2015, starting with the “N-ONE” model in
  Novermber 2012, the third model in the N series. In the small car category, the all-new Fit
  Series, which was mentioned earlier, will be introduced to the market. With overwhelming
  product strength, Honda will dramatically increase its presence in mature markets.
• In North America, in addition to the already popular Civic, CR-V and Odyssey, all-new
  Accord went on sale this month. Honda believes that the all-new Accord with a
  completely new engine and transmission which dramatically improved driving
  performance, occupant comfort and quality feeling will be well accepted by a broad range
  of customers. In addition to strengthening sales of these core models, Honda will begin
  producing an all-new Fit and a derivative model at the new plant in Mexico that will
  become operational in spring 2014. Honda will further solidify its North American
  business through enhancement of the product lineup and competiveness.
• In China, while strengthening local development capability, Honda will introduce products
  that put more focus on Chinese customers. For the Honda brand, the introduction of more
  than 10 new and full-model-change models is scheduled during the 3-year period from
  2013 to 2015. In addition, Honda will continue introducing locally-developed original
  models to strengthen the product lineup in China. Moreover, amid introduction of the
  strictest fuel economy regulations in the world, Honda will further strengthen its
  competitiveness by proactively introducing environmental technologies such as hybrid
  technologies, where Honda has a competitive-edge.
• In Asia, in order to compete in and win in highly-competitive low-price markets and fulfill
  the diverse needs of customers, in addition to the all-new Fit Series, Honda will add
  sedan-type and utility-type models utilizing the platform of the BRIO, Honda’s strategic
  model for Asia. Honda will strive to increase the sales and further growth in Asia by
  strengthening its mutually complementary structure in the region especially among
  Thailand, Indonesia, India and Malaysia.
• In India, an all-new diesel engine will be adopted sequentially to new models starting in
  FY2014 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2014). In addition to the high fuel efficiency, the
  cost competitiveness of the all-new diesel engine will be enhanced through local sourcing
  and local production to make new diesel models more affordable for customers.
• With these initiatives, Honda will increase its automobile sales in mature markets namely
  Japan, the U.S. and Europe from approximately 2.06 million units in FY2012 (fiscal year
  ended March 31, 2012) to more than 3 million units in FY2017 (fiscal year ending March
  31, 2017). With proactive business expansion in emerging markets, in FY2017 (fiscal year
  ending March 31, 2017), Honda will strive to achieve automobile sales of more than 3
  million units in emerging markets, doubling the sales of FY2012 (fiscal year ended March
  31, 2012). By solidifying sales in advanced counties and growing dramatically in
  emerging nations, Honda will strive to achieve worldwide automobile sale of more than 6
  million units in FY2017.
• Honda will further advance its “Earth Dreams Technology,” a next generation series of
  powertrain technologies which greatly enhance both driving performance and fuel
  efficiency at a high level through the improvement of internal combustion components
  including the engine, along with the transmission, and also through advancement of
  electromotive technologies applied to motors and other components.
• For gasoline-powered vehicles, which remain the most widely used in the world, Honda
  will continue developing internal combustion engines which will increase fuel economy to
  the ultimate level. Honda will adopt the newly-developed engine series first to the all-new
  2013 Accord, and will continue to adopt it sequentially to other models.
• As for hybrid vehicles, Honda will adopt three different systems with unique individual
  characteristics depending on the model in order to fulfill the needs of more customers.
• As for the lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system, EV driving range will be
  expanded through the improvement of motor output and battery performance as well as
  the combination with a newly-developed transmission. Moreover, Honda will strive to
  achieve No. 1 fuel economy among all hybrid vehicles by improving the efficiency of
  regenerative energy recovery.
• In the area of mid-size vehicles, following the market introduction of the all-new
  Accord-based plug-in hybrid model in the U.S. in early 2013, a hybrid model equipped
  with a two-motor hybrid system will be added to the lineup. After the U.S. introduction,
  these models will be introduced in Japan and other regions. The plug-in hybrid model
  which will go on sale in Japan will be equipped with a compact inverter capable of
  external power supply, which was developed by applying Honda’s generator technologies.
• Concerning the pursuit of driving performance, a highly-efficient and high-output
  three-motor hybrid system, the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All Wheel Drive),
  which realizes both a high level of sporty handling and fuel economy, will be applied to the
  NSX, Acura RLX Sport Hybrid model and the successor model of Legend which will be
  introduced in Japan in 2014. Honda will measure up to the expectations of customers
  eagerly waiting these models by highlighting the presence of these hybrid vehicles with
  unrivaled driving performance and fuel economy.
• As for battery EVs, this summer in Japan and the U.S., Honda began lease sales of Fit EV,
  which realizes the world’s best electric energy consumption performance. In line with
  changes in the energy situation, Honda will continue its efforts to develop EV models with
  which Honda will strive to realize further market penetration of EVs.
• As for micromini-vehicles, which Honda considers to be one of the directions battery EVs
  can take, Honda will further advance the concept of a “micro commuter,” which was
  introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. While incorporating ideas and technologies
  unique to Honda, the only automaker which has both motorcycle and automobile
  technologies, Honda is making progress in the development of new personal mobility
  products. Honda is planning to begin demonstration testing of such products in Japan in
  2013.
• As for fuel cell electric vehicles, which Honda considers to be the ultimate
  environmentally-responsible vehicle, and therefore has been leading the industry in R&D
  and sales, Honda will launch an all-new fuel cell electric model sequentially in Japan, the
  U.S. and Europe starting in 2015. This new fuel cell vehicle will showcase further
  technological advancement and significant cost reduction that Honda has accomplished.
• Honda will proactively introduce dream-inspiring and edgy products as well as exciting
  and fun products.
• In addition to the NSX, the next-generation super sports model, Honda will launch a new
  open-top sports car with strong vehicles dynamics which will go on sale in Japan 2014, as
  one of the six new mini-vehicle models.
• In Europe, in addition to the introduction of the NSX, Honda will develop an all-new
  Civic Type-R to fulfill customer expectations. With the application of technologies which
  will be cultivated through participation in WTCC (FIA World Touring Car Championship)
  starting this year, the all-new Civic Type-R is being developed with the goal of becoming
  the fastest front-wheel-drive vehicle on the Nurburgring race course. Honda aims to
  introduce this model to the market in 2015.
• In addition to a sports hybrid type of Acura’s luxury flagship sedan, the all-new Acura
  RLX lineup will include a model equipped with Precision All Wheel Steer, a world’s first
  technology which realizes excellent handling performance. The world premiere of the
  all-new RLX, which features uniquely Acura exterior and interior designs as well as the
  most advanced safety and environmental technologies, will be exhibited at the Los
  Angeles Auto Show in November of this year. All Acura models are scheduled to be
  renewed within the next three years. Acura will continue to strengthen its brand in North
  America and China, and expand into other areas of the world.

[Closing]

• Honda’s telematics service, HondaLink, is designed to connect vehicles, people and
  society to realize a safe and enjoyable mobility society with low CO2 emissions. Honda
  will evolve HondaLink to more than 60 countries around the world before the end of
  FY2014 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2014). Moreover, Honda will continue its proactive
  commitment in various areas such as the expansion of robotics technologies including
  ASIMO technologies, contributing to child development and promoting traffic safety.
  Honda would like to continue growing while highlighting what makes Honda unique in
  order to further expand the joys for our customers and society.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/-26