Honda Announces New Research and Development Structure to Take Responsibility for "New Value" Areas

Honda R&D Co., Ltd., the R&D subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., today announced plans to create "R&D Center X," a new research and development operation within the company, which will assume responsibility for "new value" areas that include robotics technology, mobility system and energy management, etc. The official establishment of R&D Center X will take place in April of this year.

Since its foundation, with a passion to provide all people with the joy of expanding their life's potential, Honda has been striving to evolve mobility and the daily lives of people all around the world with its products including motorcycles, automobiles and power products.

In the midst of this pursuit, digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and "big data" have evolved and Honda began to see an expanding possibility to create value in a wider range of fields beyond the field of current businesses. Responding to such changes in the business environment and under the concept of "AIxDataxHonda's strengths", Honda will continue to create product and experience that can improve the quality of people's lives.

For this challenge, Honda R&D will newly establish R&D Center X, which will take a non-traditional approach to assume responsibility for the research and development in "new value" areas.

Initially, R&D Center X will focus on research of autonomously operated machines and systems, such as robotics technologies and mobility systems, which will be collectively called "robotics." The concept of robotics includes energy management, which is necessary to power robots and mobility systems. Moreover, as a fundamental technology of robotics, R&D Center X will conduct research into technologies that lead to "artificial intelligence that works cooperatively with people."

Being able to "work cooperatively with people" consists of three phases - 1) to understand and relate to people's emotions, 2) to provide support for people and grow together with people, and 3) to expand the potential of people who will continue to play the lead role. With these themes, Honda will strive to create a robotics society where various systems, products and services equipped with "artificial intelligence that works cooperatively with people" will further highlight the inherent greatness of human beings.

Toward this end, Honda will pursue strategic collaborations with outside parties through open innovation. Honda R&D Innovation Lab Tokyo (HIL-TK), which was newly established in 2016, will play the role of R&D Center X's liaison with outside parties. While setting "artificial intelligence that works cooperatively with people" and "digital technologies that make automobiles more intelligent" as main themes of its research activities, HIL-TK will conduct research and development not only in "new value" areas where R&D Center X will be responsible, but also in areas related to existing fields of technologies such as automated driving and connectivity technologies.

Moreover, to advance research and development by gaining a wider perspective, R&D Center X will welcome two advisors: Dr. Edward A. Feigenbaum, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at Stanford University, known as the foremost researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, and Mr. Kazuhiko Toyama, Managing Partner of Industrial Growth Platform, Inc. (IGPI), who has a lengthy and proven track record in the areas of corporate renewal and new business creation.

In order to continue offering all people the opportunity to experience the joy of expanding their life's potential, Honda will remain committed to generating a large number of innovations.

Website of Honda R&D Innovation Lab Tokyo (Japanese only): http://www.honda.co.jp/RandD/HIL-TK/

About Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267/NYSE:HMC/LSE:HNDA) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually. For more information, please visit http://world.honda.com.

Source: Honda

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