Honda made it clear that it is part of the pack that aims to achieve zero traffic collision fatalities by 2050. While that sounds years away, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), the automaker’s official distributor in the country, has already taken early steps in achieving that ambitious goal with the Honda Sensing.
The Honda Sensing is the brand’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), offering passive, active, and driver-assist features. This goes along the lines of Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) for Toyota cars, EyeSight Driver Assist Technology for Subaru cars, and i-ACTIVSENSE for Mazda cars.
HCPI shared that in 2020, the Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System recorded 65,032 accidents with 337 deaths in Metro Manila — that was amid strict quarantine restrictions. Here is where the Honda Sensing comes to play as it aims to protect not only Honda car owners but all road users including pedestrians and cyclists.
It is safe to say that Honda Sensing is one of the most intuitive ADAS in my experience. Honda’s system doesn’t seem to misinterpret surrounding objects as much compared to others that unnecessarily alert me from time to time. With it, you can get the luxury of feeling safe and secure on the go.
As said earlier, the technology comes with a suite of safety bits enabled by a millimeter-wave radar and monocular camera. Here is the list of features you can benefit from in the brand’s very own ADAS:
The Honda Sensing might sound like a fun way to get a glimpse of autonomous driving but take note that the system is introduced to assist you on your journeys, and not to become an alternative driving solution. Always keep your focus on the road so you can be one with the brand that seeks to eliminate road collisions completely.
1. Collision mitigation braking system (CMBS) — This function is one of the most crucial in the range as it provides you audible and visual warnings when the system detects a possible frontal collision. When the warnings aren’t enough, the vehicle will automatically be applied with brakes.
2. Adaptive cruise control (ACC) with low-speed follow (LSF) — This works like your standard cruise control but it can automatically apply brakes and throttle depending on the traffic ahead. So far, it is the closest you can get to autopilot which can help reduce driver fatigue.
3. Lane keeping assist system (LKAS) — We might find ourselves steering off our lane, especially on days when we are very tired from work or school. LKAS is your buddy on that matter as it keeps your Honda vehicle in its lane by automatically steering the wheel for you when manually activated.
4. Road departure mitigation system with lane departure warning (RDM with LDW) — unlike LKAS, RDM with LDW doesn’t need to be actively set to work. This function warns you if you are swerving to another lane without using the turn signals and then automatically steers you back to your lane when necessary.
5. Auto high beam (AHB) — This automatically activates the high beam when the system doesn’t detect oncoming traffic. But once it does, the system will lower the beam.
6. Lead car departure notification system (LCDN) — Sometimes, we tend to look away when we are at a stop, say at a traffic light. The LCDN works by alerting you whenever the car in front of you started to move from a standstill. You won’t have to deal with road users that are dramatically using their car horns at you.
If you are interested in having the Honda Sensing experience, you should be looking at five Honda models, namely: The Civic, HR-V, CR-V, Accord, and Civic Type R. HCPI said that it plans to introduce its ADAS to more models in the local lineup but no specific units were mentioned.
The Honda Sensing might sound like a fun way to get a glimpse of autonomous driving but take note that the system is introduced to assist you on your journeys, and not to become an alternative driving solution. Always keep your focus on the road so you can be one with the brand that seeks to eliminate road collisions completely.