Honda Motors recently released a conversation about its safety strategy, focusing on the Level 3 automated driving technology to be introduced through the Honda 0 Series electric vehicles, and the company’s more ambitious safety vision—achieving zero traffic collision fatalities in the future. This “eyes-off” driving capability is initially planned for use in congested highway traffic, with the expectation of expanding its application to more driving scenarios in the future.
While enhancing vehicle automation is considered an important step towards achieving the goal of zero fatalities, the conversation also emphasized that relying solely on technology is far from sufficient. Research data shows that risky driving behavior, especially among young drivers, accounts for a significant proportion of traffic fatalities. Even though Honda has equipped millions of vehicles with advanced safety assistance systems such as Honda Sensing, simply depending on technology cannot completely eliminate traffic deaths.
This realization has prompted Honda’s safety strategy to shift from solely improving technology to a more comprehensive approach. Twenty years ago, Honda introduced the concept of “Safety for Everyone,” aiming to protect all road users. Over time, the strategy has continued to evolve, incorporating efforts to improve driver behavior and enhance the overall traffic safety ecosystem. This means the need for close collaboration with government, industry, and community partners to jointly address traffic safety challenges.
A crucial understanding is that while technology can save lives in some instances, working together to change driving behavior, traffic culture, and infrastructure can save even more lives. Personal experiences also deeply underscore this point; for example, even though seat belt technology has long existed, incorrect safety beliefs can still lead to tragedy. Therefore, the perspective that “safety is personal” is continuously emphasized.
To enhance the safety awareness of young drivers, Honda actively explores diverse educational avenues, such as partnering with Discovery Education to launch the “Honda Safety Driven” program, which conveys traffic safety knowledge to young audiences through gamification. Additionally, comprehensive safety programs targeting young drivers are being piloted in communities, integrating education, behavioral guidance, and practical driving training.
Honda understands that achieving the goal of zero fatalities requires collective effort. Therefore, they actively support numerous non-profit organizations, such as the National Safety Council, ThinkFirst Foundation, and Safe Kids Worldwide, which promote traffic safety initiatives across America. Honda also collaborates with government and industry groups, sharing its safety expertise to jointly improve traffic infrastructure.
In summary, Honda’s latest safety strategy emphasizes that while new technologies like Level 3 automated driving are promising, truly realizing the vision of zero traffic fatalities requires going beyond vehicle design itself. The focus must be on enhancing driving skills, eliminating risky behavior, and improving the overall traffic environment. This is a goal that requires the participation of all road users, and Honda calls on more organizations to join their efforts to work towards a safer traffic future.
Reference : Honda
