Honda is showcasing the Honda NeuV concept at the
2017 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept debuted at CES 2017 in January this year.
The Honda NeuV looks like a boxy kei car with an outlandish design and
futuristic features. The concept vehicle falls under Honda’s Cooperative
Mobility Ecosystem theme. It is an automated EV with artificial intelligence
(AI) “emotion engine” and automated personal assistant. ‘NeuV’ is short for New
Electric Urban Vehicle.
Private vehicles sit idle 96% of the time, and with
the NeuV, Honda is exploring the idea of how to create new value for the
vehicle owner by functioning as an automated ride-sharing vehicle, picking up
and dropping off customers at local destinations when the owner is not using
the car. The autonomous car-sharing use is allowed only with the vehicle
owner’s permission. In addition, the Honda NeuV can sell energy back to the
electric grid during times of high demand when it’s not in use.
Honda co-developed the Honda Neuf’s emotion engine,
called HANA (Honda Automated Network Assist), with SoftBank. HANA learns from
the driver by detecting the emotions behind his/her judgments. Then, on the
basis of the driver’s past decisions, it makes new choices and recommendations.
It can also check on the driver’s emotional well-being, recommend music on the
basis of the current mood, and support his/her daily driving routine.
Inside, the Honda NeuV features a full touch panel
interface for a simpler and convenient user experience. The learning car automatically
adjusts climate control, entertainment, safety features and more, and links to
other products such as smart home technology or a PC. It utilises the phone’s
computing power for functions and information.
At CES 2017, Honda revealed that the Honda NeuV
concept measures 2,896 mm in length, 1,625 mm in
width and 1524 mm in height. There’s 55 kW motor at the rear,
getting its juice from a 20 kWh battery pack chargeable via a 6.6 kW
bi-directional wireless charging pad located under the cabin’s floor. The range
was mentioned as 100-200 miles (160.934-321.87 km).
The Honda NeuV is a concept vehicle for the distant
future. For now, Honda plans to put the Honda Urban EV Concept to production
first, in 2019.
