Honda EVTOL, Avatar Robots & Space Tech: Future Innovations

Honda's Expansion into Future Technologies

Honda Motor Company has revealed its intentions to pioneer advancements in several emerging fields. These include electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, advanced bipedal robots, and groundbreaking space technology.

Leading the Innovation Effort

The research and development division of Honda Motor Company, Honda R&D Co., will spearhead these initiatives. Their focus will be on exploratory research into technologies capable of delivering novel benefits to individuals.

This involves broadening the scope of mobility beyond traditional limitations. The company aims to extend potential into the third dimension, then the fourth – transcending the boundaries of time and space, and ultimately reaching for opportunities in outer space.

Evolving Core Technologies

While some of these innovations may resemble concepts from science fiction, Honda showcased how its established technologies – cultivated over 73 years – can be adapted for future applications.

These core competencies encompass areas like combustion, electrification, sophisticated control systems, and robotics. The company believes these foundations can be evolved to address the evolving mobility requirements of a dramatically different future.

During a briefing held on Thursday, Honda illustrated the potential for these technologies to meet the demands of a world where conventional transportation paradigms are challenged.

Hybrid eVTOLs and the Future of Mobility

A key distinction between an eVTOL and a traditional helicopter lies in their propulsion systems. eVTOLs utilize multiple electrically powered propellers, each with its own independent motor, while helicopters rely on a single, larger, and typically louder rotor. Consequently, eVTOLs are anticipated to offer improvements in safety, noise reduction, and environmental impact.

While the majority of eVTOL development globally focuses on all-electric designs, Honda Motor Co. (HMC) intends to utilize its expertise in electrification. They aim to create an eVTOL powered by a gas turbine hybrid power unit, as stated by the company.

Range Limitations of All-Electric eVTOLs

Marcos Frommer, HMC’s corporate communications manager, highlighted a significant challenge with current all-electric eVTOL technology. Battery capacity relative to weight severely limits their range. This restricts most potential applications to shorter routes, such as intra-city or shuttle services.

Even Joby Aviation, a leading developer, recently completed its longest eVTOL test flight – approximately 150 miles – on a single charge. This demonstrates the current limitations of battery technology for extended flights.

The Case for Hybrid Power

HMC’s market research indicates the greatest demand for eVTOL travel is for distances up to 250 miles, like intercity commutes. Frommer explained that while Honda is investing heavily in lithium-ion battery research, significant increases in energy density are not expected within the next two decades.

Therefore, HMC believes a hybrid approach is necessary to achieve the weight reduction required for longer-distance flights. Should battery technology advance sufficiently in the future, the gas turbine generator could be removed, allowing for a fully electric configuration.

A Comprehensive Mobility Ecosystem

HMC envisions a new “mobility ecosystem” centered around eVTOLs, seamlessly integrated with ground-based transportation options. A potential scenario involves a business traveler using a single application to book an eVTOL flight from Cape Cod to New York City.

This app could connect with the traveler’s autonomous Honda vehicle, providing weather updates during the drive to a designated mobility hub. Upon arrival in New York, an autonomous shuttle would await to transport them to their final destination.

Systems Engineering and Collaboration

Frommer emphasized the need for a shift in Honda’s approach, utilizing model-based systems engineering (MBSE). This transformation will move the company beyond traditional manufacturing to encompass the design and commercialization of integrated systems and services.

Delivering this value requires a complete system – encompassing reservation infrastructure, air traffic control, flight operations, and existing mobility solutions. HMC recognizes that collaboration with numerous companies and government entities is essential for success.

Timeline and Commercialization

HMC plans to begin technology verification with prototypes in 2023, followed by flight tests of a hybrid demonstration model in 2025. A decision regarding commercialization will be made after these tests.

If approved, HMC aims to achieve certification by 2030, with a launch anticipated in the subsequent decade. The company projects that eVTOL prices, for vehicles seating more than four passengers, will be competitive with business class fares on conventional airlines.

“We are striving to make our eVTOL aircraft accessible to all customers at a price point lower than business class air travel,” stated Frommer. HMC forecasts a substantial market size of approximately $269 billion by 2040, anticipating widespread adoption of eVTOL technology.

Experience Presence Beyond Limits with Honda’s Asimo Robot

Honda’s avatar robot concept, Asimo, aims to provide users with a remote presence, effectively acting as a surrogate for tasks and experiences. This allows individuals to operate and perceive events from a distance, without physical co-location.

Control is achieved through a combination of virtual reality and haptic feedback. Users will utilize a VR headset alongside a specialized tactile glove, designed to replicate nuanced hand movements with precision.

“This represents a shift towards four-dimensional mobility,” explained Frommer. “It extends beyond conventional two and three-dimensional movement, transcending the limitations of time and space.”

Potential Applications of Asimo

The company foresees a wide range of applications for these avatar robots. Remote surgical procedures, particularly in regions lacking specialized medical expertise, are a key possibility.

Furthermore, Asimo could play a crucial role in space exploration. An avatar representation of a person could venture into environments deemed uninhabitable or inaccessible to humans.

Honda emphasizes that the core of this technology lies in its advanced robotic hand. This hand leverages the company’s established robotics expertise and an innovative, AI-powered remote control system.

The goal is to create an avatar robot capable of skillfully manipulating tools designed for human use. Complex tasks will be executed quickly and accurately, guided by intuitive, AI-assisted user control.

Competition and Future Outlook

Toyota is also developing a similar bipedal avatar robot, the T-HR3, utilizing telepresence technology. Tesla has recently revealed its plans for a humanoid robot, though this model doesn’t currently rely on remote control.

Should Honda proceed with its Asimo plans, it is anticipated that teleoperation will be employed. This approach offers both simplified manipulation and a powerful method for robotic learning.

Demonstrating a task to a robot may prove to be the most effective training strategy.

Honda intends to begin practical implementation of Asimo in the 2030s. Testing is scheduled to commence before the end of the fiscal year concluding on March 31, 2024.

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Advancing Research and Development in Space Technologies

Honda has revealed intentions to significantly increase its investment in research and development related to space technology, with a particular focus on lunar exploration. A previously mentioned circulative renewable energy system was also briefly highlighted during the announcement.

A joint feasibility study was initiated in June between Honda R&D Co. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency concerning this system. Its purpose is to provide oxygen, hydrogen, and electrical power for sustained human presence on the moon, supporting both outposts and lunar rovers.

The system will utilize Honda’s established fuel cell technologies and advanced high differential pressure water electrolysis technologies, as stated by the company.

Lunar Surface Robotics and Virtual Exploration

Furthermore, Honda is exploring the deployment of remotely operated robots on the lunar surface. This approach aims to reduce the dangers faced by astronauts during space travel and facilitate virtual lunar exploration for individuals on Earth.

The lunar robot will incorporate the same sophisticated multifingered hand technology and AI-assisted remote control systems currently under development for the avatar robot project.

Additionally, it will leverage Honda’s torque control technology, originally designed for collision avoidance systems.

Reusable Rocket Development

The company also expressed ambitions to apply its expertise in fluid dynamics, combustion, guidance, and control systems to the creation of reusable rockets.

According to Frommer, the ability to launch small, low-orbit satellites using these rockets could lead to the evolution of Honda’s core technologies into a range of services, including enhanced connected car features.

He emphasized that all such services would be fully integrated with Honda’s existing technological infrastructure.

Initiating Space R&D

Honda authorized its engineering teams, specifically those with aspirations in rocket development, to commence research and development efforts in this area at the close of 2019.

Currently, Honda has not disclosed any detailed information regarding either of these space-related endeavors.