Honda went all out for this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, bringing along multiple concepts, new gadgets, an AI assistant, VR experience and even new connectivity tech for motorcycle riders. Despite all that, car enthusiasts will probably want to focus on this so-called Augmented Driving Concept, which according to the automaker is there to address the “cultural transition to autonomous vehicles,” as cars will at one point be capable of driving themselves.
At the same time, customers may still want to take control from time to time, which is why a healthy balance remains the goal for many carmakers when it comes to presenting high-tech autonomous concepts. Honda designed this concept to offer a seamless transition from autonomous to semi-autonomous driving, which is why its autonomous driving system is always on standby and ready to take over for the driver at a moment’s notice. Changing between the two modes is done via a switch that allows for as many as eight driving modes between fully autonomous and semi-autonomous operation.
The car’s various sensors are said to continuously read the user’s intention in order to navigate between the modes, for an “instinctive driving experience.” Then there’s the steering wheel, which Honda has sort of reinvented as far as this concept is concerned. First off, you start the vehicle by patting the steering wheel twice. Once on the move, if you want to slow down, all you have to do is pull the steering wheel – and then push it to accelerate.
If that’s not futuristic enough for you, we don’t know what is. Of course, whether it’s practical or not, that remains to be seen.
