Honda's 0 Electric Vehicle Prototypes — The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

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Earlier immediately, Honda unveiled two electrical car prototypes — the Honda 0 SUV and the Honda 0 Saloon. Let’s talk about the nice, the dangerous, and the ugly of this 2025 Shopper Electronics Present (CES) splash.

Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon — The Good

Honda is definitely growing 100% electrical automobiles that may be aggressive, compelling fashions. These automobiles will probably be produced starting subsequent 12 months, in 2026.

Moreover, Honda is growing its personal new working system (ASIMO OS) for these fashions in addition to future ones, indicating a broad, deep, long-term dedication to creating good electrical automobiles. This additionally indicated that the corporate acknowledges — and is fast to broadcast — that software program is essential within the electrical car period. Right here’s way more from Honda on the deep historic relevance of ASIMO within the firm:

Honda 0 Sequence fashions will probably be geared up with ASIMO OS, an unique car working system developed in-house by Honda. First launched at CES over 20 years in the past, ASIMO was a humanoid robotic able to autonomous strolling, developed as a part of Honda elementary expertise analysis with the purpose of serving to folks whereas coexisting in society. Honda started robotics analysis and improvement in 1986 and launched the ASIMO robotic in 2000. ASIMO turned an icon within the subject of robotics from the 2000s by means of 2010s and stays liked by folks everywhere in the world to today.

Honda gave the title ASIMO to its new car OS, the core expertise to attain the “Wise” worth of the Honda 0 Sequence, with a dedication to try for making Honda 0 Sequence an icon of next-generation EVs that can shock and encourage folks all all over the world, simply as ASIMO did.

Even after improvement of the ASIMO robotic, Honda continued to advance its robotics applied sciences, together with applied sciences from ASIMO that acknowledge exterior environments and autonomous conduct management that enabled ASIMO to react whereas understanding the intentions of individuals round it. By combining such robotics applied sciences with superior intelligence applied sciences for the Honda 0 Sequence, Honda strives to supply the worth of software program outlined automobiles (SDVs) distinctive to Honda.

As a software program platform, ASIMO OS will apply built-in administration of digital management models (ECUs) for car programs akin to automated driving/superior driver help programs (AD/ADAS) and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system.

By consistently updating the in-vehicle software program primarily based on the ASIMO OS by means of over the air (OTA) updates, even after the acquisition of the car, capabilities and companies will probably be repeatedly superior in accordance with the preferences and desires of every particular person person. These OTA updates to each the digital UX and built-in dynamics controls will permit Honda to ship a personalised possession expertise that can improve the enjoyment of driving.

Honda is planning to put in ASIMO OS to all Honda 0 Sequence fashions, together with manufacturing fashions of the Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon.

Clearly, Honda is taking this very severely and attempting to make its make within the new EV world. In any other case, it wouldn’t hyperlink a lot of the corporate’s innovation historical past to this new EV software program.

“Additionally, Honda announced an agreement with Renesas Electronics Corporation to develop a high-performance system-on-chip, to be introduced on the next generation of 0 Series models in the late 2020s, as well as a new energy service through the Home Energy Management System to enable customers to enjoy a stress-free EV ownership experience with reduced environmental impact.” Briefly, Honda is leaping into the deep finish and attempting to include the essentially the most leading edge tech parts of a contemporary EV.

Even additional, Honda will probably be implementing a steer-by-wire system into these EVs, one thing we’ve simply seen thus far within the Tesla Cybertruck.

The Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon will first be in-built Ohio and launched within the North American market (within the first half of 2026 and the second half of 2026, respectively). They’ll then make their method to Europe and Japan. It’s a humorous twist, since most EV fashions are launched outdoors of the US (principally in Europe and China) earlier than making their method to the US.

Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon — The Unhealthy

The dangerous is that we’re not getting these EVs till subsequent 12 months. Regardless of virtually each different automaker having a number of EVs available on the market, we’re nonetheless ready no less than one other 12 months for these Honda electrical fashions.

Effectively, higher late than by no means.

Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon — The Ugly

Okay, I principally suppose the EV prototypes look fairly cool. And I’ll give it to Honda for being daring and sharp. I feel the interiors look depraved. I feel the frontends look depraved. I feel the infotainment screens look depraved. Nevertheless … these backends look bizarre, and dare I say, ugly.

I don’t know what Honda was considering with the backends of those EV prototypes. On the extra forgiving aspect, maybe there’s a robust aerodynamic cause for the designs and testing reveals many individuals will suppose they appear futuristic and funky. On the extra crucial and pessimistic aspect, maybe Honda is attempting to dampen demand by making these EV fashions look bizarre, and possibly it needs to say, “See, I told you — people don’t want EVs!” Although, it appears we’re too far previous the purpose for the latter may make a good, if cynical, enterprise resolution.

So, yeah, I’m not thrilled with a good portion of the designs. However maybe they’ll develop on me.

How do you are feeling concerning the new Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon EV prototypes from Honda?

One Extra Factor … Honda Main on Autonomous Driving?

Honda threw in one other subject, and I’ve to say it was fairly attention-grabbing to see. The Japanese automaker is highlighting itself as a frontrunner in autonomous driving. Right here’s what it wrote:

In 2021, Honda turned the world’s first automaker to place Stage 3 automated driving gear into sensible use with the launch of the Honda Legend geared up with Honda SENSING Elite. This car, accessible for shopper lease within the Japan market, certified for Stage 3 automated driving (eyes-off) and conditional driving automation in restricted areas.

Honda developed Honda SENSING Elite to place this AD expertise into sensible use by anticipating all driving circumstances and eventualities primarily based on the premise that, along with lowering the variety of visitors collisions in society, Honda AD should eradicate visitors collisions {that a} “human driver could have avoided”.

Honda believes that the widespread use of eyes-off expertise will result in the belief of zero visitors collision fatalities sooner or later. Primarily based on this method, Honda will intention to supply inexpensive automated driving applied sciences to extra clients all over the world by means of the Honda 0 Sequence.

To appreciate this goal, Honda will apply an unique Honda AI expertise that mixes the unsupervised studying¹expertise of Helm.ai and the conduct fashions of skilled drivers, which allow AI to be taught with smaller quantities of information and effectively develop the vary of conditions the place automated driving and driver help will be accessible.

As well as, Honda will apply its unique cooperative AI developed by means of analysis into folks and mobility to additional enhance the precision of cooperative conduct, akin to yielding the proper of method to others on the highway, which is troublesome even for a human driver. By making use of these superior applied sciences, Honda will understand a extremely dependable driver help system that may reply shortly and appropriately to sudden conditions, akin to an animal darting into the lane or an object falling onto the highway.

I’m very curious to see Honda’s autonomous driving capabilities from this historical past mixed with Helm.ai. Let’s see how good it’s and what it affords to Honda house owners.