Honda Officially Joins the Rest of the World in EV and Autonomous Development

Honda Motor Company finally expressed an interest in developing autonomous cars on Thursday, while also stating its intention to bring two new electric vehicles to market by 2018.

The Japanese automaker has been cautious in making tech-related promises, especially those that relate to self-driving models, even as many of its rivals wear their autonomous development efforts like a badge of honor.

We knew Honda was working on the technology, but any semblance of a goal-oriented timeline was absent prior to this week. As part of its “Vision 2030” strategy, the car manufacturer claims it will coordinate R&D, procurement, and manufacturing to minimize development costs as it branches out into the realm of self-driving and electric vehicles.

Last year, the automaker established a division exclusively tasked with developing electric vehicles. Honda’s previous assertion was that the real-world emission benefits of pure electrics didn’t justify their implementation, stating that the scope of automobile pollution extends beyond the particles that exit a tailpipe. That perspective, unusual for a car company, forced Honda to hold back on BEV development and focus on hydrogen power.

However, the whole world is pushing for electrics right now — even if few are scrambling to buy them. Whether or not Honda has changed its official stance on EVs, it’s going to change its product strategy to add two of them next year. One of the new electrics is reserved for sale in China while the other will be a global model. Light on details, the more worldly model will possess a high-density, lightweight battery designed for multiple applications. It is expected to first appear at the Frankfurt motor show in September and be a more capable BEV than the recent Clarity Electric.

Roughly two-thirds of the brands’ lineup is expected to be powered by alternatively fueled options by 2030.

Honda also announced plans to market a vehicle which can drive itself on highways by 2020, with a city-capable self-driving system arriving shortly thereafter.

“We will strive to achieve the technological establishment of Level 4 automated driving for personal car use by around 2025,” said Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo in a statement. “We are striving to provide our customers with a sense of confidence and trust by offering automated driving that will keep vehicles away from any dangerous situation and that will not make people around the vehicle feel unsafe.”

The automaker is already honing these systems. Honda showcased its progress at a media briefing at its Japan R&D center — an event which included test drives. The planned vehicles are likely to arrive a few years behind the competition, though Honda is not an automaker known for possessing a brazen attitude toward development. It’ll continue working hard on these projects and give you the keys to your autonomous EV when it feels ready — and not a moment sooner.

[Images: Honda]