Honda Cars PH to release 3 new models this year

MANILA: Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) looks forward to a continued period of recovery in 2022 for the economy in general, and its business in particular.

Speaking to writers after a recent Civic drive event to showcase the Japan-headquartered carmaker’s Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistive safety features, HCPI President Masahiko Nakamura said that the firm is targeting to release at least three new models this year, but he isn't revealing yet what these will be. When asked by ZIGWHEELS PHILIPPINES if this number is a fixed one, the executive hinted that the company may look at more – depending on how the country’s economy fares, and the severity of the microchip supply issue currently confronted by many industries around the world.

Nakamura averred that, through the drive that featured all three 11th-generation Honda Civic variants (all boasting Honda Sensing), the company wants to continue communicating its “Safety for Everyone” vision. In an earlier release, HCPI elucidated its goal “to protect the safety not only of the drivers or riders, but of all vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and everybody on the road. This is why (Honda’s) approach on safety is both from product and educational perspectives.” Its goal is to have zero fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050.

HCPI underscored that it is among the first brands in the Philippines to offer “a suite of driver-assist safety features.” Collectively named Honda Sensing, an earlier version of the tech-driven functions made their first appearance in the Philippines through the Honda Legend executive sedan in 2015. A year after, the third-generation Honda Pilot also carried Honda Sensing.

Now, Honda is obviously trickling the feature down to its more affordable vehicles – particularly the 11^th-generation Civic. Honda Sensing is predicated on a wide-angle monocular camera for “better recognition” and with the ability to “measure the distance target of the vehicle or obstacle ahead.”

Key features of the present iteration of Honda Sensing gives the all-new Civic the following niceties:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) – The car recognizes pedestrians, as well as vehicles including bicycles and motorcycles, day or night, and alerts the driver of a potential collision through visual and audible alerts. If necessary, the system can activate the brakes to help reduce the impact “if the system determines one to be unavoidable.”
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF) – ACC controls the speed and distance from the vehicle ahead; while LSF is the perfect assistant for stop-and-go traffic (up to a speed of 30kph). ACC allows the driver to set both target speed and following interval.
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) – This LKAS applies “mild steering torque” once it detects the vehicle drifting toward the side of a lane, helping keep it centered.
• Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning (RDM with LDW). Using the wide-angle windshield-mounted camera, this feature identifies the side of the road – reading painted lines, cat’s eyes and Botts’ dots (round non-reflective raised pavement markers) and cat’s eyes. It will alert the driver if it senses the vehicle veering off (the system will cancel if the driver uses the turn signal, which means the lane change is intended).
• Auto High-Beam (AHB) – This feature automatically activates the high beam function when there are no vehicles ahead of the vehicle, and switches to low beam when one is detected.
• Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN) – The newest addition to the suite, LCDN alerts the driver when the vehicle in front moves forward from a standstill.

“As we’ve already announced, our long-term global goal is to realize a collision-free society. To realize this, we are extending Honda Sensing technology to all models. Eventually, all variants will have this feature,” underscored Nakamura exclusively to ZIGWHEELS PHILIPPINES.

He added, “We will not stop the development of these features. Honda Sensing will get better every year. For the Philippines, the Honda Civic is the first model with Honda Sensing as a standard feature. Taking this opportunity, we want to show how good and convenient this technology is.”

Photos by Kap Maceda Aguila

Also read: Honda Sensing-equipped models get reduced insurance rates from AXA, BPI MS