Honda, Marysville partner on intersection with connected vehicle technology
Main Street and Fifth Avenue in downtown Marysville is hosting connected vehicles under development at Honda R&D America Inc.’s Raymond facility. (PHOTO | HONDA)
Honda R&D America Inc.’s 1.6 million-square-foot Raymond facility has plenty of space for engineers, designers and technicians to dream and develop new cars and light trucks.
There are laboratories and facilities to conduct redundant tests of concepts, theories and vehicles. But it is a controlled, and therefore, sterile environment.
At some point, the engineers and technicians have to leave the computer screens, laboratories and test tracks and pull into the nitty gritty of the real world.
|
KLAUS |
Ted A. Klaus and his team leading Honda’s global connected vehicle development have traveled just 14 miles to Marysville to establish a real world environment to test how cutting edge technology can improve safety for drivers and pedestrians alike.
Honda has been quietly backing the development of the U.S. Route 33 smart highway project and other related projects in Ohio.
Company officials are for the first time reporting on the automaker’s direct involvement in connected and autonomous highway research.
In a partnership with the city of Marysville, Honda R&D has installed cameras and connected vehicle technology at the intersection of Main Street and Fifth Avenue.
“As a city administration,” Marysville City Manager Terry Emery said, “we are extremely excited about the partnership and look forward to extending to all of our 27 traffic signal intersections.
“It’s all about safety and efficiency for our motorists and residents.”
Safety is a driving force behind Honda’s efforts, said Klaus, who is vice president of strategic research at Honda R&D.
“At Honda, the goal of a collision-free and carbon-free society is central to our vision for the future,” he said.
“As we consider the challenge of realizing a zero-collision mobility future, it’s not sufficient to talk about only on-board sensing and computing systems.
“These are critical advances, but to realize this dream of zero collisions — for ourselves, our customers and society as a whole — we have to take a more holistic approach.”
The central downtown intersection offers variables Honda needs to study how to best connect drivers with technology.
It’s an inspiring opportunity for Klaus who headed up development of the Acura NSX.
Read complete story in Saturday’s Examiner.
CLICK HERE to subscribe today!
WEB EDITION STARTING AT $9.50 FOR 5 WEEKS!