In the not-so-distant future, we could be hearing of autonomous vehicle mobility services all over the world. China and the U.S. may be at the forefront, but the robotaxi “bug” is spreading fast. After a new mobility service began operating in Russia, Japan is the next launching-pad for another big name’s mobility service.
7 photos

Citizens of Utsunomiya City and Haga Town, Tochigi Prefecture, in Japan, will soon have the chance to experience the futuristic Cruise Origin - the vehicle developed by Honda, Cruise and General Motors exclusively for autonomous vehicle mobility services. The three companies announced their partnership at the beginning of 2021, based on agreements signed way back, in 2018.

It looks like now is the time to start the testing program, prior to Honda actually launching its autonomous vehicle mobility service (MaaS) business in Japan, operated by a subsidiary called Honda Mobility Solutions.

During the program, the Cruise AV (the first-generation Cruise autonomous vehicle) will be driven on public roads. The goal of the tests is to collect data regarding the traffic environment and specific regulation in Japan, so that the future AV can be adapted to these conditions. But, before the tests begin, Honda announced that a “specialized vehicle for mapping” would first be used to create a high-definition map.

The mapping phase is set to start this September, with public road tests to be conducted in 2022. Both Honda and Cruise will be involved in the program, and the Japanese company will also set up a new test site within its facility in Tochigi Prefecture.

The Cruise Origin is an autonomous vehicle definitely worth experiencing, because it’s like no other out there. With no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors, there’s no question about this futuristic vehicle’s self-driving status. This innovative design is meant to provide a more spacious cabin, where passengers can feel much more comfortable during their commute or whenever they choose to go for a ride.

Hard work and dedication by Honda’s brilliant engineers needed to be backed by Formula 1 experience to finally produce mighty power unit that will mount championship challenge together with Red Bull Racing. If they manage to dethrone Mercedes for the first time in this Formula 1 hybrid era, it will be fitting end for Honda before they leave Grand Prix racing.

Three races into the 2021 season and it is evident that for the first time since introduction of the hybrid power units, Red Bull Racing and Honda are proper rival to the all conquering Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. But as it is often the case in such a competitive championship, it was tough and long road for Honda since their Formula 1 return in 2015 with McLaren. But resilient and deterministic Honda team, engineers and leaders have made great performance leap with their newest RA621H engine, who is as it seems also a durable and reliable engine.



Honda’s sudden announcement of their withdrawal from Formula 1 last year prompted this major engine overhaul, which according to Honda was originally planned to be introduced in 2022 season. They have run out of ideas with previous engine design and structure, and if they wanted to have any chance to win championship before they conclude their Formula 1 involvement a completely new design was needed especially for the internal combustion engine.

This rush put even more pressure and risk factor on them. Will the engine be ready and reliable if engineered and produced in such a shortened time frame? What they achieved according to them is “miraculous technological achievement”.

Modern Formula 1 power units are as complex as they are efficient and powerful, high tech systems with six main pillars: V6 internal combustion engine, turbo charger, MGU-K, MGU-H, battery(energy storage), and ECU(electronic control unit). Even though continuous development and improvement is essential on all elements of the complex power unit system, Honda prime focus and change was made on the combustion engine, knowing that it is the prime source of power and field for further performance gains.





Key changes for 2021 engine RA621H are:

redesigned smaller cylinder head
more compact, lower camshaft
shortened cylinder bore spacing
changed valve angle
MGU-K and MGU-H as a electrical hybrid systems that recycle energy produced by the brakes and exhaust gases are unchanged, but the turbine and compressor are revised to boost gas energy. This important changes together with greater mechanical efficiency from the combustion engine is adding an increased overall power unit effectiveness.



Major engine overhaul (mostly smaller cylinder head and lower camshaft), effectively means even more compact engine design that is helping the overall car packaging. According to Honda, new engine even though the most powerful yet produced by them, is smaller than their first engine in hybrid era the infamous “size zero” engine, that was underpowered and unreliable.

Yasuaki Asaki, Honda’s head of power unit development:

“FIRST OF ALL WE’VE CHANGED THE CAMSHAFT LAYOUT TO BE MUCH MORE COMPACT, AND ALSO BROUGHT ITS POSITION LOWER DOWN SO IT’S CLOSER TO THE GROUND. WE’VE ALSO HAD TO CHANGE THE VALVE ANGLE. THE MAIN POINT OF WHAT WE’VE CHANGED WAS TO IMPROVE COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY. IN ORDER TO DO SO WE HAD TO CHANGE THE VALVE ANGLE AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAD TO CHANGE THE CAMSHAFT.

WE’VE ALSO HAD TO MAKE THE HEAD COVER LOWER AND MORE COMPACT, WHICH MEANS THAT THE WAY THAT AIR FLOWS OVER IT HAS BECOME A LOT BETTER. AND WE’VE ALSO LOWERED THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF THE ICE.

ANOTHER THING WE CHANGED IS THE BORE PITCH, BY REDUCING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ONE BORE AND THE NEXT, WE’VE MADE THE ENGINE ITSELF SHORTER, SMALLER.

IN THE OLD ENGINE STRADDLING THE TRANSMISSION WE ALSO HAD A BANK OFFSET WHEREBY THE LEFT BANK WAS SLIGHTLY OFFSET FROM THE RIGHT BANK. SO WHAT WE’VE DONE IS REVERSE THIS OFFSET ON THE NEW ENGINE SO THAT THE RIGHT BANK IS FORWARD AND THE LEFT BANK IS BACK. I’M SURE YOU’LL APPRECIATE THIS IS A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE. AND WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IT TO A POINT WHERE IN JUST SIX MONTHS WE’VE TAKEN IT TESTING WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.

ANOTHER POINT THAT WE’VE HAD TO THINK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY HAS GO BETTER. AND THE CAMSHAFT OUTPUT HAS GOT BETTER. DUE TO THE RULES OF PHYSICS THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT CAN BE STORED HAS CHANGED AND IT MEANT THAT THE AMOUNT OF EXHAUST ENERGY HAS DECREASED. SO COMPARED TO THE RECOVERY THAT WE WERE GETTING LAST YEAR, WHAT WE’RE HAVING TO DO IS INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CRANKSHAFT OUTPUT, AND AT THE SAME TIME ENSURE THAT THERE’S A GOOD LEVEL OF EXHAUST OUTPUT, EXHAUST TEMPERATURE AS WELL.”

After baby steps into the EV market with models like the Clarity and E, Honda is getting really serious about electricity by showing several vehicles that the brand is referring to as the e:N Series of concepts. Production versions of these machines would arrive in China first.

The e:NS1 and e:NP1 will be the first e:N Series models to arrive in China in spring 2022. The Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda joint ventures will produce them, respectively.

Both vehicles are crossovers but with slightly different styling. The e:NS1 is the vehicle in these photos with the vibrant yellow and black body in these photos. It has a front end with a blocky shape and skinny headlights. The rear has a sporty design with both a spoiler on the roof and wing below the back window.

The e:NP1 has a more traditional crossover appearance and looks nearly identical to the Honda SUV E:Prototype from earlier in 2021. The shape of the headlight flows up the front end. Both models have rear door handles that incorporate into the black section of the C-pillar.

From there, three more e:N vehicles are under development with a goal to launch them within five years. Honda is showing them here as the e:N Coupe Concept, e:N SUV Concept, and e:N GT Concept. The trio shares a similar design ethos that looks nothing like current Hondas.

There will eventually be 10 models in the e:N lineup. They will be available from e:N-specific dealers in China, in addition to selling them from existing showrooms.

Honda isn't providing much info about the e:N models' powertrain. They'll ride on a shared platform. The EVs will also get the automaker's latest tech like Honda Sensing and Honda Connect tech, and a digital cockpit.

Honda's strategy will be all models for sale in China after 2030 will be either hybrids or full EVs. By 2040, all products will be purely electric.

Japan’s second-largest automaker is now looking for a partner (or partners) with more advanced EV tech in order to advance its own.

​​​​​​​Honda was among the pioneers of hybrid powertrain tech, along with Toyota, but just like its main local rival, it too has now fallen behind other automakers that have invested massively in fully-electric vehicles. Now in order to make up for the head start that others have gained, Honda’s new CEO wants the automaker to team up with another company that has more experience.


Toshihiro Mibe, who was appointed Honda CEO in April of this year, is a former R&D boss for the manufacturer and he helped the manufacturer maintain its relationship with General Motors. He therefore has experience keeping partnerships between automakers going, and he would like to set a new one up with an automaker that has more advanced EV tech, according to Automotive News, in order to advance its own.

Mibe wants Honda to go fully-electric by 2040, although its larger vehicles may actually have a hydrogen fuel cell, not a big battery to store electricity. Right now, Honda only has one EV on offer, the Honda e, which is only available in Europe and in spite of its great design and many qualities, it’s not popular because it has a low range; the manufacturer has announced plans to launch 10 new EVs in the next 5 years.

Now the question regarding which manufacturer Honda may team up with to accelerate EV development has not yet been answered. The logical step would be for it to join forces with another Japanese automaker - representatives of all the major Japanese automakers have already begun cooperation talks under the umbrella of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

But before any additional links with automakers are made, Honda plans to expand its partnership with General Motors. The stated goal of the Honda - GM partnership is to jointly develop vehicles for North America based on a common platform, as well as share electrified, electric or ICE powertrains.

Honda has also strengthened ties to other automakers, especially Mazda and Subaru, but also Ford and Volkswagen and this is specifically focused on electric vehicles and autonomous driving tech.

When asked about Honda’s strategy alongside GM for North America, Mibe said

We feel there's a rush to electrification, particularly after Mr. Biden took office. But it's still going to take some time. So we don't want to focus too much effort onto it right now and wear ourselves out.

At this point, I don't think we should be doing it alone. We should team with partners like General Motors and then build to a certain volume to ensure business feasibility. That's the strategy we have for the initial period in North America. Once we reach a certain volume, we will consider rolling out Honda original products. And not just EV products.

Honda wants to surprise even its most loyal customers. After years of unimpressive car interior design, the automaker is pushing forward with a new goal: to watch you closely. Here’s what’s going to happen and how you’ll be able to control your new sensible Japanese vehicle.
22 photos
A United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) filling published on the 8th of February shows Honda is getting ready for a major revamp of its vehicles’ cabins. The recent technology it plans on implementing is composed from various systems. They will, as the filling shows, help the driver to pay more attention to the road.

Honda argues that drivers today are being bombarded with features that demand their attention too much. The cognitive load of these functions combined with the additional distractions that come with operating a vehicle result in a driver that’s not paying enough attention to its surroundings. The Japanese carmaker seeks to change this situation by implementing a couple of more safety and assistance systems.

For starters, Honda wants you to keep your eyes on the road at all times. Here the carmaker will install more sensors and cameras that will have a 360-degree view of the cabin. They will be used to watch over you and detect if you’re reaching for your phone. Do that and the car will start beeping at you. It will also flash a warning sign on the dashboard. At the same time, if you or your passenger get tired, the newer models will suggest stopping or doing in-car activities for refreshing yourselves. In extreme cases, it will allow the car to take temporary control and safely stop on the side of the road while calling the emergency services and automatically sending your location.

The Japanese carmaker will also implement gesture controls like we’ve seen on newer BMWs and other German cars. Users will be able to take or cancel calls, change different menus, adjust the volume, change the lighting, switch from radio to USB or other apps, and do many more things without touching the screen or a button.

This whole new system will learn from the driver and adjust in such a way that it’ll make the right suggestions all the time. It will also allow itself to be personalized as the owner wishes.

The USPTO filling also shows Honda’s planning to integrate a lot of new sensors in its cars. The newer models will be able to know the weather and adjust the interior climate, guarantee access by fingerprint, cancel road, engine, or tire noise, learn new commands and identify places visited often for a proper settings adjustment.