Who hasn’t dreamed of a car that will handle the dull daily commute for them? It’s not quite here yet but Honda Sensing technology is showing the way forward.
Developing fully autonomous self-driving cars is a complex undertaking; just think of the number of things you have to process and react to during even a short drive to work on busy roads. For a car to do that entirely without any human help means a lot of different systems working together.
Honda Sensing is a milestone on the journey towards genuine self-driving cars as it is made up of several functions that assist the driver and helps them stay safe and in control.
One of the systems that makes up Honda Sensing is Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow. This was recently tested out by a team from Channel 7 News Melbourne on a closed stretch of the Melbourne's EastLink freeway using a Honda CR-V VTi-LX.
HOW DOES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WORK?
Adaptive Cruise Control uses a radar sensor paired with a high-definition forward-facing camera to monitor the road ahead and the relative speed of other vehicles. This allows the driver to select their cruising speed and desired safe following distance. The CR-V is then able to maintain its speed and position in typical daily traffic conditions with no intervention from the driver. The car is even able to come safely and smoothly to a complete stop behind the car in front, and then move off again and up to the pre-set speed with just a quick tap on the accelerator.
As you can imagine, the system significantly reduces stress on the driver, allowing them to stay more relaxed and alert. The demonstration for Channel 7 included a scenario mimicking a traffic jam caused by an accident. The CR-V safely brought itself to a complete and drama-free stop from freeway speeds.
WHAT ELSE DOES HONDA SENSING DO?
The other systems that make up Honda Sensing include Lane Keep Assist which gently corrects the steering to maintain the car in the middle of its lane, backed up by Lane Departure Warning which alerts the driver if they start to drift. Forward Collision Warning and Collision Mitigation Braking alert a driver to a potential obstruction ahead and then, if no action is taken, automatically brake to try and prevent a crash. Finally, an additional system called Road Departure Mitigation will recognise when the car could potentially leave the road altogether and uses counter steering and braking to stop it going off the road entirely.The CR-V with Honda Sensing is a cutting edge tour de force in its class with a level of technological sophistication that can seem overwhelming to drivers unfamiliar with how quickly safety and driver assistance systems have progressed recently. This is why Honda has partnered with EastLink and Channel 7, to show drivers what the future will look like and how new technologies like Honda Sensing will enhance their driving experience.