Honda sells a self-driving, level 3 Legend
Honda said on Thursday that it plans to sell a limited range of its flagship Legend sedans equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology that enables vehicles to navigate busy highways.
Honda explained that when the third level called Traffic Jam Pilot is activated, the driver can watch movies or use screen navigation, which helps reduce fatigue and stress when driving in traffic jams.
The Japanese carmaker's plan to sell 100 cars with advanced technology is an important step towards achieving its goal of being the first company to mass-produce a car equipped with Level III autonomous driving technology.
The Traffic Jam Pilot system on the Legend can control acceleration, braking and steering under certain conditions.
Honda said:
The system can alert the driver to respond when the control is delivered, such as vibration in the driver's seat belt.
If the driver remains unresponsive, the Traffic Jam Pilot assists in emergency stopping by slowing down and stopping the vehicle while alerting surrounding vehicles with hazard lights and horn.
The announcement comes after the Japanese government awarded Honda a safety certification for Traffic Jam Pilot in November.
Global car manufacturers and technology companies, including Waymo and Tesla, have invested heavily in autonomous driving.
Despite the advancement of technology, regulations for autonomous driving vary from country to country.
Audi unveiled the A8 with Tier 3 self-driving technology in 2017, but regulatory hurdles have prevented it from being widely introduced.
Honda said:
The Limited Edition Legend retails for Friday in Japan at a retail price of 11 million yen ($ 103,000).
The automaker currently has no plans to increase production or sales of a Legend equipped with Tier 3 autonomous technology, the chief operating officer said.
Honda seeks to achieve a collision-free society based on its global slogan of safety, safety for all, and Honda has always been at the forefront in the world in research and development of safety technologies.