While most automakers are focusing on cars, trucks, and SUVs, some are already developing eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft. Honda is the latest automaker to venture into the air-taxi game. And that's not all. The Japanese brand is also planning to develop new robots and small reusable rockets.
On Thursday, September 30th, Honda announced plans to expand beyond the automotive industry. Starting with the aviation segment, the automaker aims to make mobility in the skies not only with its original HondaJet but with a completely new type of aircraft: an eVTOL.
Although air taxis seem to be the ideal solution for traffic-clogged cities, they face a number of issues due to limited battery capacity. To overcome this problem, Honda says that it will use its electrification technology to create an eVTOL with a gas turbine hybrid power unit.
The company's goal is to develop a "mobility ecosystem" with the eVTOL aircraft at its core, coordinated and integrated with mobility on the ground.
Next on its agenda is to expand the range of human ability virtually. The brand is already known for ASIMO, a humanoid robot that can run, dance, hop, and kick a soccer ball. Building upon the existing technology, Honda aims to go one step further and develop "avatars."
According to the automaker, avatars can act as a" second self of the user" and make people experience things without being there in person. The heart of this new tech will be a multi-fingered robotic hand capable of performing complex tasks based on a remote control function. Honda hopes to begin scientific demonstration testing of its Avatar robot by 2024, put it into practical use by the 2030s.
As incredible as this sounds, the company's ambitious plans don't stop there. Honda is also aiming to go beyond our skies by creating small rockets that can be used as launch vehicles for low-earth orbit satellites. Furthermore, Honda wants to make its rockets "reusable" by allowing some of their components to land back on Earth after the launch.
There are a lot of promises from Home, and it's unclear how many of these efforts will be successful. For the time being, we can only let time do its thing.
Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News