Honda 0 Series - The Joy Of Mobility

Based on Honda’s new “Thin, Light, and Wise” EV development approach, the cutting-edge 0 Series promises to set new standards for electric cars. Not only has it been created to be an exceptionally joyful and nimble machine for those behind the wheel, it aims to inject new experience values that will excite everyone who rides in the car, from passengers to pets.

First seen in concept form at CES 2024, the Honda 0 Series represents the first fruits of the brand’s bold vision for the future of EVs. Starting from scratch, Honda’s engineers and designers set about creating a family of vehicles that would set the tone for a new era of automotive products, freed from the constraints of current thinking and technologies.

In this installment of Honda Stories, we take a closer look at the development background of the 0 Series, plus how it was received at Honda 0 Tech meeting at the end of 2024. We also see how this innovative mobility concept promises to live up to the brand’s Joy of Driving philosophy, plus we benefit from the insights of two of the project’s leading engineers. Tatsuya Mori is a Dynamics Engineer from the Automobile Development Center, while Digital Shinji Yasuhara is a Digital UX (User eXperience) Engineer.

Easy and fun, even for those not used to driving
The Honda 0 Series has been devised to be freed from the usual EV expectations, in particular the idea that increased range can only be achieved by the use of greater battery energy. This approach not only means increased battery capacity and weight, but also a large chassis and platform to accommodate it. Honda has challenged this current way of thinking with its new “Thin, Light, and Wise” engineering motto. Essentially, this is an extension of Honda’s time-honoured M/M (Man maximum/machine minimum) philosophy that has underpinned Honda vehicle design and production for decades.

By combining advanced technologies with techniques for refining dynamics performance, Honda has pursued an EV driving experience filled with an unprecedented freedom and exhilaration, in which the body and soul become one with the car. Honda aims to provide an experience that, through mobility at will, makes driving and riding in a car more relaxing and enjoyable, creating an atmosphere that means occupants would not want their journey to end.

From the outset, the Honda 0 Series has made use of behavior control technology to enhance driving stability, incorporating bipedal robot technology and chassis technology that effectively utilises flex in the car’s structure to control tyre load during corners. This approach is at odds with current thinking, which is to make vehicle architecture as stiff as possible.

Yet through careful development and modelling, Honda discovered that allowing greater flex in carefully targeted areas allowed it to achieve excellent ride comfort and handling, plus a more comfortable feeling under acceleration. As a result, Honda was able to explore new avenues of development for the electronic control technology for dampers, motor torque control, and the tuning of basic suspension geometry.

By using this technology, engineers hope to deliver driving dynamics that can be precisely controlled and tuned, allowing them to create vehicles that always reflect the unique characteristics of a Honda. By doing this they will be able to deliver EVs that are easy-to-drive yet also have fun-to-drive dynamics and effortless performance.

Tatsuya Mori: Honda is committed to the concept of pursuing a sense of unity in dynamic performance. We also place emphasis on how the customer feels, based on Honda’s human-centric idea, or respect for the Individual, which has been handed down through the generations. We have also pursued an evolved driving feel tailored to EV characteristics, aiming to provide the customer with the joy of being able to freely move beyond their expectations. As EVs run on motors, they offer a high degree of freedom of control, such as how torque is delivered, and because they are quiet, we see them as a blank canvas. What kind of picture can we paint? We will pursue Honda’s uniqueness with our accumulated know-how and new technologies and refine the ride quality of each 0 series model to satisfy our customers.

Mori’s dream at Honda is to “provide an EV that even people who are not confident in driving want to ride in again, and to expand the possibilities of many people’s lifestyles.”
New technology that understands the user’s intentions and predicts actions
By applying the knowledge that Honda has amassed and by further advancing its intelligent technologies, the 0 Series has also created its first proprietary software-defined vehicle (SDV), in which the car learns from its user’s behaviour and surroundings, becoming wiser, and so provides a new mobility experience.

To achieve this, Honda has developed this new platform with the intention of discovering how to incorporate the latest IT and digital technologies into all of its cars. In doing so, it has also learned what approaches are necessary to maximise the value of the car, reducing user stress and contributing to the user experience (UX) that delivers the “fun of driving, using, and being connected”. Ultimately, with 0 Series it has strived to provide optimal functions and services that are optimised to each individual user.

As part of this process, Honda has attempted to understand user intentions and predict behavior through the use of voice and image recognition. One of the most important developments in these efforts has been its In-Cabin Agent, which uses generative AI technology to boost the understanding of the mood, stress levels and concentration of drivers based on what it sees and hears in the car interior. By gathering and processing this data in real time, it can then offer suggestions that will help occupants make choices that will result in a happier and more relaxed experience.

How would this work? Well, if you imagine a user driving for a long time with a pet in the car, the AI can read the facial expressions and gestures of the driver and work out if they are concerned about their pet’s welfare. Based on this understanding, the car’s onboard systems can then make suggestions such as displaying search results for the nearest pet facilities or play calming music.

Ultimately, Honda is developing technology that will minimise stress for drivers and passengers in the future. Through its suggestions that are based on its understanding of the user’s intentions and behavioral predictions, it hopes to provide a solution in which the car is always prepared for its user needs next, almost before they do. It will meet these needs without any user intervention.

E&E architecture for the Honda 0 Series that rapidly provides the latest digital functionality and services
The joy of driving together, even remotely - an immersive and ultra-real experience
The development of 0 Series and its cutting-edge technologies has also allowed Honda to explore virtual reality (VR). Ever since 5G mobile data and VR technologies emerged a few years ago, Honda has been interested in how they can be integrated into future products. This also led to an even greater technology-driven approach to development.

As a result, engineers have started to explore cross-reality technology that provides a virtual ride-along experience for those that aren’t able to be in the car. By attaching cameras to the interior and roof of a moving vehicle, this technology allows people in remote locations to use VR goggles to enjoy a real-time 360-degree view from the car, creating the experience of driving and being together with others, even when thousands of miles away.

This technology also allows for experiences that transcend reality, such as the ability to hover above the roof of the car, creating the sense of flying through the air. Through such digital UX initiatives, Honda aims to create new mobility experiences that aren’t limited to those normally found in a car, maximising the value of the vehicle.

source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/honda-0-series-joy-mobility-honda-motor-europe-ltd-e71ae/