Honda showcases automated driving tech at ITS World Congress 2021

Honda is showcasing the brand’s self-driving technology at ITS World Congress 2021, as part of the L3Pilot automated driving project.

The EU-driven initiative, a joint effort of 34 partners from 12 countries, is assessing the viability of SAE Level 3 and 4 self-driving functions on ordinary roads, with Honda providing four Honda AD research vehicles to support the research program. The vehicles are based on the platform of Honda’s Legend executive sedan.  

Drawing on its world-leading expertise in autonomous technologies, the Honda R&D Europe team focused on two research scenarios ‘Traffic Jam Chauffeur’ and ‘Motorway Chauffeur’, covering over 25,900km of testing on German roads.

Honda’s advanced AD technology, which monitors traffic conditions on the highway and takes full control of the car from the driver if it determines that is safe to do so, has helped test vehicles pilot more than 25,900km across Germany. Operational data was then shared with the L3Pilot project for further research and analysis of the impact and benefits of automated driving in Europe.

"We view automated driving technology as a vital part of our advanced safety technologies," said Dr. Robert Kastner, Large Project Leader of the L3Pilot Project at Honda R&D Europe. "Following on from our years of research in this field, we are delighted to be an active part of this EU innovation initiative, and to support advanced research activity for automated driving that is aiming to further increase safety and further reduce accidents on European roads.”

Two Honda AD research vehicles will be at the ITS World Congress in Hamburg, joining other L3Pilot consortium test cars operating on public roads in and around the show, to demonstrate the potential of automated driving technology.

Earlier this year, Honda committed to strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050.

Launched in 2017, the L3Pilot project was initiated to create a standardised Europe-wide piloting environment for automated driving. Coordinating the activities of automakers and technology providers across the continent, the project raises awareness for the commercialisation of self-driving vehicles through large-scale piloting of SAE Level 3 and Level 4 functions in passenger cars, from motorway and city driving to traffic jams and parking scenarios. In total, more than 400,000km have been driven on motorways including 200,000km in automated mode.

The ITS World Congress 2021 begins today, with L3Pilot Driving Demonstrations and from 13 October to 14 October. The L3Pilot project has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.