Honda will use the 2020 CES to present a number of technologies that highlight the potential for improved connectivity and self-driving capability in cars. The highlight is a cute roadster concept that demonstrates how switching between a manually driven car to one that's fully automated can be made seamless.
The concept, called the Augmented Driving Concept, features a fully self-driving system that's constantly operating in the background. In this way, the system is able to quickly respond when the driver wants to take a break, or if it detects that a crash is imminent.
The driver can also choose between eight different levels of self-driving capability, between fully manual and fully automated. Honda hasn't detailed the other modes, though they likely reduce or increase the severity of the self-driving system's intervention.
Honda will also use the concept to demonstrate a new type of driver control. Here, the steering wheel serves as the ignition, accelerator and brake. Tapping the wheel twice will start the car, while pulling on the steering wheel will slow the car down and pushing on the wheel will accelerate it.
Honda also plans to use CES to demonstrate vehicle-to-infrastructure communications technology. The specific example will be a so-called “smart intersection” where vehicles communicate with surrounding vehicles and share data such as location and speed. This can then be used to calculate a speed and path so that a vehicle can drive through an intersection with zero risk of crashing into another vehicle.
CES runs from January 7-10 in Las Vegas. For our complete coverage on the event, head to our dedicated hub.
