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Honda demonstrates driverless valet parking system with special Fit EVs

There are many challenges that will need to be sorted out before full autonomous driving becomes a reality, but automakers are taking small steps toward this advancement with semi-autonomous technologies. Nissan, Toyota and Ford have already revealed various automated driving systems, and now Honda is getting into the game with an automatic valet parking system that was unveiled recently at the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) World Congress in Tokyo.
Unlike Ford's recently demonstrated self-parking Focus, which is fully operational on its own, Honda's new system requires input from the parking lot via cameras. Combining information provided by the car's rearview camera as well as cameras positioned around the parking lot, drivers are able to drop their car off at a central location, and using a touchscreen display, the car can park itself and return when the driver is ready to leave. The benefit of this is that multiple cars can be parked at the same time and no additional sensors (other than a backup camera) are needed for the car, but the downside is that it can only operate on properly equipped parking lots. According to Honda's demonstration, this system can be practical by 2020.
Honda also showed off some semi-autonomous driving and non-contact electric vehicle recharging technologies at the ITS World Congress, although information is limited and there are no demonstrations available. Scroll down to read more about Honda's latest tech, including a video demonstration of the automatic valet parking system.

Honda shows off 2015 Euro-market Jazz

The 2015 Honda Jazz is here, wearing much the same look we caught on the Jazz "concept" at the Paris Motor Show last year. No, make that exactly the same look as the "concept," save for the fog lights on the pictured model. A move to the same global B-segment platform as the Honda HR-V makes the new Jazz lighter and stiffer than before, and pays all kinds of benefits for the subcompact. Prime among them is interior space - Honda says it's class-leading - the new hatch being 95 millimeters longer. The fuel tank is underneath the front seats, leaving the rear bench free for the installation of Honda's Magic Seat system. Three potential cargo bay arrangements are called "Utility," "Tall," and "Long," achieved by rearranging the positions of the rear seatbacks and bolsters. The Honda Connect infotainment system uses a seven-inch touchscreen, hooks up to the Internet, and transmits real-time news and Internet radio. Following a trend of buyer-installable navigation working through the factory screen, integrated Garmin Nav is an option, and other apps can be downloaded from the Honda App Center. Ride quality and interior comfort get a boost thanks to the 30-mm longer wheelbase and suspension re-engineered with better, lighter parts and new dampers, as well as geometry more inclined to the dynamic. The lighter platform bones let Honda load up on soundproofing, creating a quieter cabin. A 1.3-liter VTEC gasoline engine sits underhoood, offering 101 horsepower, with a new six-speed transmission for a semi-automatic CVT for shifting. Driver safety systems make an appearance here, too, include Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assist, and High-beam Support. Some of those features will only be available in Europe, naturally, but we'll obviously get a lot of goodies on our Fit, too. The press release below has the particulars. ALL-NEW HONDA JAZZ REDEFINES B-SEGMENT WITH ADDED SPACE, VERSATILITY, REFINEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY - Third generation Jazz based on Honda's global B-segment platform - New 1.3 litre i-VTEC petrol engine from Earth Dreams Technology series - Extra interior space, made versatile with Magic Seats® system - Bold, fresh exterior and refined cabin - New Honda Connect infotainment system - Advanced Driver Assist Systems enhance safety 24.02.2015 -- Arriving in Europe in summer 2015, the third-generation Jazz features bold yet sophisticated exterior and interior design, with unrivalled interior space and versatility.

Petition to bring Honda Civic Type R to US picking up steam

Never mind what the executives say - we've had a sneaking suspicion all along that the upcoming Honda Civic Type R won't be coming to North America. And with good reason: both the prototype we drove in Japan and the concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last week were based on the European-spec Civic hatchback - not to mention that some of the best hot hatches remain out of our reach.
Well it turns out we're not the only ones with that concern. There are legions of Honda hot hatch enthusiasts right here in the good old U S of A who want to see the new Civic Type R ripping up the Great American Road. And many of them are taking to the cyberclouds demanding that Honda bring it Stateside, post haste.
As of the time of writing, this online petition has gotten over 6,000 digital signatures, needing less than 1,500 more to get to the author's target of 7,500 votes. Of course, if and when the petition reaches its target, that still won't mean that Honda will bring it over, but it could mean that extra bit of encouragement the Japanese automaker's executives would need to tip the scales in our favor.