Honda introduces initiatives leveraging its core technologies

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has introduced the technology development direction the company is pursuing while leveraging its core technologies. This direction leads to fulfilling Honda’s 2030 Vision of serving people worldwide with the “joy of expanding their life’s potential.”

Honda is committed to contributing to a society with zero environmental impact and zero traffic collisions, and the initiatives enable the company to take on challenges in new areas. Honda R&D Co., Ltd., which leads Honda’s technology research and development, is pursuing outside-the-box research on technologies that expand the potential of mobility.

The new initiatives are made possible by Honda technologies in combustion, electrification, control, and robotics.

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

© credit Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

In addition to clean operation realized by electrification technologies, Honda’s eVTOL features safety at a level equivalent to that of commercial passenger airplanes realized by its simple structure and decentralized propulsive system and quietness due to relatively small-diameter rotors. This allows the eVTOL to take off and land in the middle of a city without causing noise issues.

To realize user-friendly inter-city transportation with longer range, Honda will leverage its electrification technologies and develop Honda eVTOL equipped with a gas turbine hybrid power unit. Moreover, in addition to electrification technologies, Honda eVTOL will feature technologies Honda has amassed in combustion, aerodynamics, and control technologies.

© credit Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Honda is also pursuing technology development with a goal to create new value in outer space by leveraging unique core technologies in combustion, guidance, fuel cells, and robotics.

With evidence there is water on the moon, Honda is conducting joint research with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) with a goal to build a circulative renewable energy system on the lunar surface by leveraging fuel cell and high differential pressure water electrolysis technologies.

Remotely controlled robots on the lunar surface can minimize the risks astronauts will be exposed to. Honda is expecting to apply several core technologies, including multi-fingered robotic hand technology and AI-supported remote-control technology being developed for the Honda Avatar Robot and the highly responsive torque control technology for collision mitigation.

Honda also is working to develop small rockets with a goal of a reusable launch vehicle for small low-earth orbit satellites, enabling at least some of the rocket components to land back on earth after the launching. For this challenge, Honda will use control and guidance technologies amassed through the development of automated driving technologies.