Already an industry leader in the development of crashworthiness and crash prevention technologies with two of the most advanced safety centers in the world, Honda will continue its innovation in those areas. However, Honda believes that technology alone cannot fully prevent future traffic fatalities in older models that will lack the latest safety features, necessitating a collaborative approach aimed at augmenting driver and rider abilities along with supporting improvements in the traffic ecosystem.
“Advancements in safety technology have saved countless lives and Honda will strive to continue leading in safety innovation with its new vehicles, but getting to zero fatalities in all Honda products on the road by 2050 is impossible without a collaborative effort,” said Brian Bautsch, director of North American safety strategy at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Honda is committed to safety in all of its forms, to rapidly advance technology, education, advocacy and collaboration with like-minded people and organizations. In short, our path forward is Safety for Everyone, with everyone.”
Honda Safety Driven: A “Crash Course” for Young Drivers
Honda Safety Driven is a multi-year safety initiative in partnership with Discovery Education to help address the nearly one-third of annual traffic fatalities in the U.S. involving drivers under the age of 25. The STEM-focused educational initiative launched in Oct. 2023 with a virtual field trip for students in grades 3-12, bringing them inside Honda’s one-of-a-kind Automotive Safety Research Facility in Raymond, Ohio and the Driving Simulation Laboratory at The Ohio State University. To date, this virtual field trip has reached more than 250,000 students, and educators are expected to continue to use it each new school year as part of their evolving curriculums.
Honda Safety Driven is launching two new safety education resources this week online and through Discovery Education’s network. The first is a new interactive crash test video game called “Crash Course” that aims to entertain and educate students about the physics of a car crash and how different factors can affect the level of risk to passengers. Ultimately, it will give them a better understanding of how their decisions could reduce their own risk on the road. Second, a new digital lesson bundle called “Pedestrian Safety” will teach students about road safety for those not behind the wheel. The lesson bundle includes engaging and interactive content to teach students road rules and how to read signs and signals. An educator guide, presentation, family action plans, and accompanying e-bike and e-scooter safety student activity take the learning further. Additionally, members of esports’ Team Liquid helped out with a fun video featuring the Honda Motocompacto e-scooter to reach an even broader audience.
“Too many young drivers die in preventable crashes every year, devastating families and communities across the U.S., and Honda continues to explore new ways to avert these tragedies,” said MJ Foxley, Safety Strategy Leader at Honda. “Honda is targeting zero traffic fatalities involving our vehicles by the year 2050, and Honda Safety Driven puts resources in the hands of educators, students and families to create the next generation of responsible drivers and passengers.”
Rider and Driver Skills Education
Honda was an early pioneer in motorcycle rider education and currently operates three rider education centers in California, Georgia and Ohio, providing both on and off-road training, with more than 11,000 riders trained at these centers each year. In 2022, Honda began trialing a new young driver training program called “Safety Training Awareness & Responsibility for Teens” (START) at its Indiana Automobile Plant (IAP) in Greensburg, IN and is now planning to expand the program to additional locations.
Community Giving Supports Organizations Working to Improve Traffic Safety
Honda and the Honda USA Foundation have supported various programs that help people safely and confidently enjoy the freedom of mobility both on and off the road, with more than $6 million in funding provided to nonprofit safety organizations since 2021. A new funding cycle opened in Sept. 2024, and applications for program-related support are being accepted until October 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). Honda is accepting applications from eligible organizations with programs aligning with its Corporate Social Responsibility pillars of Traffic Safety, Education and Environment, while the Honda USA Foundation is accepting applications for programs supporting the Mobility pillar. For more information about Honda and the Honda USA Foundation’s available funding opportunities or to apply, please click here.
Driver Coaching App
Honda introduced the Honda Driver Coaching smartphone app in June 2023 to help improve the skills of new drivers and promote safe driving practices. Honda Driver Coaching is free to download from the Apple App Store and combines exclusive access to the vehicle’s onboard computer to deliver detailed, real time driving analysis with a clever game component to ensure the lessons are fun and engaging. The app is compatible with many new and prior model year Honda and Acura models equipped with Apple CarPlay, enabling new drivers to improve their driving style by using Honda safety technology as they drive.
Once the app is installed and the driver’s iPhone is connected to the vehicle, the Honda Driver Coaching app analyzes driver inputs including steering, braking, and acceleration in real time, instructing the driver when they need assistance. When the lesson is complete, a calculated driving score allows users to track their progress, along with a summary of their drive with specific driving tips.
An invaluable resource for less experienced drivers, the Honda Driver Coaching app is easy to use with intuitive displays on the vehicle’s center touchscreen. Users can also sharpen their skills by watching the app’s extensive library of driver training videos on their smartphone when not driving.
Honda Commitment to Safety
Honda is committed to further advancing safety for everyone sharing the road, which is captured in the Honda global safety slogan “Safety for Everyone.” The company has established a global goal to achieve zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles by 2050. Honda operates two of the world’s most sophisticated crash-test facilities in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in crashworthiness, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.
Advanced passive safety features include the proprietary Honda Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and next-generation driver and passenger front airbag technology, which are designed to provide a high level of collision protection for occupants. Advanced active safety and driver-assistive systems found in Honda Sensing® and AcuraWatch™ technologies, now on over 8 million vehicles on U.S. roads, are designed to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions while also serving as a technological and perceptual bridge to the more highly automated vehicles of the future.