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CES 2025: Honda 0 – No Blanks!

Before the one comes the zero: At CES 2025, Honda is showcasing the near-production prototypes of the strikingly styled 0 Series. The production versions are to be introduced to world markets starting in 2026. In addition, Honda is presenting the vehicle operating system Asimo OS.

No, this is not a Lamborghini - it's Honda's o sedan! | Photo: J. Soller
No, this is not a Lamborghini - it's Honda's o sedan! | Photo: J. Soller
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Honda is now also bringing its own operating system, called "Asimo OS." Honda aims to realize its "Wise" approach with this system. "OS" and "wise"—it's clear that software is also the focus here. A brief review: Honda's "Asimo" was a humanoid robot that could move independently. Honda undertook the very first "baby steps" in robotics as early as 1986, and the first Asimo is now 25 years old! Even though it became quieter around Asimo, Honda continued and further developed its robot technologies. These include ideas that recognize the external environment and autonomous behaviors, allowing ASIMO to understand the intentions of people around it.

For the Honda 0 Series, Honda is now combining its robot technologies with advanced AI approaches: Asimo OS integrates electronic control unit (ECU) management for automated driving and driver assistance systems (AD/ADAS) as well as for infotainment as a software platform. Updates are intended to keep Asimo OS fresh. We assume that Honda has provided enough computing power here. As we have learned from Qualcomm, Nvidia, and others, there are strong chip families with at least temporarily sufficient "reserve" for this purpose.

Honda also wants to avoid accidents as much as possible

A big topic here is autonomous driving, called Sensing Elite in this context. With this, Honda is also pursuing the noble goal of completely preventing traffic accidents in an ideal scenario—at least where they could be avoided by humans... The company itself says:

"Honda is convinced that the widespread use of eyes-off technology in the future will result in no fatal traffic accidents. Therefore, the company is striving with the Honda 0 Series to offer more customers worldwide affordable automated vehicles."

Interesting: The AI technology is to combine unmonitored learning from "Helm.ai" with behavioral models of experienced drivers, which according to Honda enables learning with smaller amounts of data. Because: data quantities cost computing power and thus energy, and electric vehicles are supposed to consume as little as possible.

To this end, Honda combines "cooperative AI," which can, for example, waive the right of way in favor of other road users—something that is difficult even for human drivers and repeatedly leads to accidents. An animal jumping onto the road or an object falling onto the street should also be reliably detected.

This is where chip technology makes the difference

Which brings us to the chips: In this case, Honda and Renesas Electronics Corporation have announced a powerful system-on-chip (SoC) for software-defined vehicles. For the next-generation models, planned by Honda for the end of the 2020s, a centralized E&E architecture is planned, which unites several electronic control units into a single central control system. Honda talks about more processing power with minimal electricity consumption. Now let’s dive in a bit deeper: Honda and Renesas are developing a system that combines Renesas's fifth-generation R-Car X5-series SoC with a Honda-developed AI accelerator using multi-chiplet technology. This aims to achieve a strong AI performance of 2,000 TOPS with an energy efficiency of 20 TOPS/W, which, simply put, means a lot of computing power with little energy consumption. Furthermore, Honda is now specifically aiming for automated driving at Level 3, which allows human drivers to engage in "other activities" on the way to their destination.

Bold! The sedan remains futuristic

The "0-Series" comes as a sedan and SIUV. The prototype Honda 0 Saloon is an evolution of the Saloon Concept presented at CES 2024 last year. It retains the design of the concept model. And it should offer more space inside than it appears from the outside. We find: It is above all striking, and yes, generously designed inside—but Honda cannot perform magic either. Digitally, an "ultra-individual optimization" is supposed to offer every driver a customized driving experience. And when is this futuristic model supposed to go into production? Rumors at the booth suggest "2026 first in the USA"—and then on other markets. Europe too? "Europe too!"

The SUV uses gyro sensor technology from the Asimo robots to keep itself "upright"

The somewhat less conspicuous, smoothly styled SUV is also worth mentioning. It is somewhat more compact than the flagship and takes inspiration from the Space Hub concept model, which was also showcased at the CES in 2024. Again, the goal is to provide ample interior space while keeping exterior dimensions minimal, offering more flexibility than the "saloon." A bit of off-road know-how is also included: The SUV aims to offer highly precise position determination and stabilization control. To achieve this, the SUV uses 3D gyro sensor technology that the company acquired through the development of robotics technologies. The initial market launch will be in North America in the first half of 2026, followed by Japan and Europe.

What does this mean?

FINALLY, Honda is flexing its muscles again – specifically its technology: combining robotics and the latest chip technology in brand new models that visually break radically with the familiar.

Translated automatically from German.
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