Honda Teams Up With AI Experts to Develop Self-Driving Vehicles

Honda is getting a dose of artificial intelligence

Japanese automaker Honda has just made a big announcement that could dramatically change its products within the next few years. The automaker, known for its bestselling vehicles like the CR-V, Civic, and Accord sedan, announced that it is formally partnering with Helm.ai, a California-based artificial intelligence company, to develop advanced driver-assistive technology systems that will begin appearing in Hondas by 2027. The Vice President of Honda’s Software Defined Vehicle Business Supervisory Unit, Mahito Shikama, said that the move is all about safety and enhancing the driving experience with AI. 

“This joint development supports Honda’s goal of realizing safe and affordable automated driving technologies for our global customers,” he said. “Through our collaboration with Helm.ai, we are advancing the development of AI technologies that enhance the real-world applicability of autonomous driving systems, bringing us closer to a future with zero traffic collision fatalities.”

Honda is hard at work on its NOA platform

The heart of this collaboration is the development of Honda’s Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) platform, which, on a surface level, sounds similar to already established technologies like Tesla’s Autopilot or GM’s Super Cruise. According to the two firms, the NOA system is designed as a partially automated driving system that requires “constant driver attention” that can be used in both “highway and complex urban driving” situations. 

Honda's NOA system is built on a comprehensive AI framework that can understand its surroundings and make decisions to control the vehicle. It helps you steer, accelerate, and follow your route from your driveway to your destination, whether you’re on the freeway or in stop-and-go traffic downtown. Honda plans to expand the availability of this technology across its lineup, targeting a 2027 rollout date. 

Helm.ai is providing the brains of the system, specifically advanced artificial intelligence models that teach cars how to “see” the road, predict what’s going to happen next, and make decisions in real time. According to Bloomberg, Honda has had a stake in the Redwood City, California-based firm since 2021, including a $30 million injection during its earliest financing stage. The Silicon Valley startup, which specializes in camera-based computerized perception and simulation software, was founded in 2016. So far, it has raised over $100 million and worked with other automakers such as Volkswagen.

“We look forward to entering the next phase of production development with Honda, as they expand their in-house efforts to deploy cutting-edge autonomous driving technologies in mass market vehicles,” Vladislav Voroninski, Helm.ai's CEO and founder, said in a statement. “This joint development highlights our shared vision of enabling AI-powered mobility at scale.”

Final thoughts

In the United States, Honda currently offers a suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) called Honda Sensing in Honda-branded vehicles and AcuraWatch in Acura vehicles. This suite, which consists of features like a Collision Mitigation Brake System, a Road Departure Mitigation System, a Lane-Keeping Assist System, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Adaptive Cruise Control, among others, isn't exactly on the level of Ford's BlueCruise or GM's Super Cruise (which can only be used on roads and highways the respective automakers laser-scanned), but the announcement today indicates that Honda is looking upwards.

Prior to this announcement, Honda announced in 2021 that its next generation of the Honda Sensing suite, Honda Sensing 360, will be standard on U.S. models by 2030. Previously in Japan, its flagship Legend sedan was made available with Honda Sensing Elite, which featured a "Traffic Jam Pilot" function that qualified for Level 3 automated driving under Japanese government rules.