Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
of Japan has announced a new driver-assistive system, Honda Sensing. This
system will first be equipped to the all-new Legend that plans to go on sale in
Japan before the end of this year, and then successively to more models in the
future. Honda will continue evolving its advanced driver-assistive technologies
on a global basis, adding the newly developed Honda Sensing, to further improve
the safety and comfort of its products.
Honda Sensing was developed as another step toward the realisation
of a collision-free society. The pursuit of a collision-free society is a part
of Honda’s global safety concept, “Safety for Everyone.”
According to a Honda press release, the system consists of two
types of sensors with different characteristics. One is millimetre-wave radar
located inside the front grille, and the other is a monocular camera mounted on
the upper, inside part of the windshield. The new millimetre-wave radar has expanded
its scope of detection to include pedestrians regarded as being hard to detect
due to their low rate of radio wave reflection as well as the position and
speed of target object. Moreover, the monocular camera identifies attributes
and sizes of pedestrians and other target objects which come in range within
60m approximately ahead of the vehicle, achieving recognition with improved
accuracy.
Six new functions such as the ‘Pedestrian Collision
Mitigation Steering System’ were added to the existing driver-assistive system.
To accommodate these versatile functions, the data processing capability of the
system was improved considerably. The system now recognises not only its
surroundings but also the intentions of the driver and conditions of the
vehicle. It then applies collaborative control over certain components of the
vehicle including the braking system and steering wheel. In the areas of
vehicle speed / following distance control and lane keeping control, the system
assists the driver during normal driving as well as in a risk avoidance manoeuvre
in case of an emergency.
Collision Mitigation
Braking System (CMBS)
The millimetre-wave radar and monocular camera detect
vehicles directly in front, oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. When there is a
risk of collision with a vehicle in front or a pedestrian, the system provides
the driver with audio and visual warnings. As the distance gets closer, the
system automatically applies gentle brake pressure to give a sensory warning to
the driver. Thereafter, beyond certain proximity, the system automatically
brakes hard to support the driver’s collision avoidance effort. A similar
pattern comes into play when the vehicle strays into an oncoming lane and there
is a risk of collision with oncoming vehicles.
Other functions include Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
system, Lane Keeping Assist System, Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow, Traffic Sign Recognition, False
Start Prevention Function and Lead Car Departure Notification System