Hondanews Online Newsroom

Safety: Twelve American Honda Models Earn IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Twelve American Honda models, including the all-new 2012 CR-V that goes on-sale today, received the highest possible safety rating of TOP SAFETY PICK from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) under its more-stringent testing guidelines implemented last year.

The IIHS award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in the Institute's tests.

Announced by IIHS today, the Honda Fit, CR-Z, Insight, Accord, CR-V, Pilot and Ridgeline along with the Acura TL, TSX and MDX all earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test. Earlier this year the all-new Civic and redesigned Odyssey earned the TOP SAFETY PICK, giving American Honda twelve 2012 TOP SAFETY PICK winners.

"We're proud to have achieved IIHS TOP SAFETY TOP rating for nine new 2012 Honda models and three 2012 Acura models, making American Honda among the best in the industry with twelve vehicles with top-class IIHS safety ratings under their new, more stringent ratings protocols," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "In fact, 91% of American Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. are TOP SAFETY PICKS. This accomplishment is part of a concerted effort we have made to reassert the Honda brand as a clear leader in this area."

Standard safety equipment on all Honda and Acura models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags (some vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor as well); dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system. All 2012 Honda and Acura models recognized by the IIHS, with the exception of the Ridgeline, utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment.

2012 American Honda TOP SAFETY PICKS:

Honda
Fit
Insight
CR-Z
Civic
Accord
CR-V
Pilot
Odyssey
Ridgeline

Acura
Acura TSX
Acura TL
Acura MDX

Connect with Honda:
Honda Media Newsroom (for journalists): www.hondanews.com
Honda for consumers: www.automobiles.honda.com
Honda on YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/honda
Honda on Facebook: http://facebook.com/honda

Connect with Acura:
Acura (for consumers): www.acura.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Acura
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Acura_Insider
YouTube: www.youtube.com/acura

Safety: Honda 2011 Digital FactBook

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:34:00 -0700

Honda 2011 Digital FactBook

Safety: Honda 2011 Digital FactBook

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:33:00 -0700

The 2011 Digital FactBook is an annual report which provides an overview of Honda's global operations, as well as detailed historical and up-to-date information concerning Honda's sales, manufacturing and R&D operations in North America. This report includes a general chronology which highlights the significant milestones in Honda's corporate history.

The 2011 Digital FactBook includes the following:

Corporate directory of key locations and contacts by region
Overview of worldwide operations, sales network and 2010 production
Overview of North America (N.A.) operations and subsidiaries
History of Honda/Acura vehicle introductions in the U.S., Honda/Acura vehicle and industry sales data for N.A.
List of N.A. manufacturing facilities and information on automobile, motorcycle and ATV/PWC production
Summary of N.A. R&D/Engineering facilities
Summary of exports of N.A. made Honda products
Overview of South America operations, subsidiaries, manufacturing facilities and R&D centers
Overview of Europe/Middle East/Africa operations, subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities
Overview of Japan operations, subsidiaries, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities
Overview of Asia/Oceania operations, subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities
Overview of China operations, subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities
Chronology of corporate milestones

Safety: All-New 2012 Honda Civic Sedan Receives IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK Award

Thu, 26 May 2011 09:57:00 -0700

The all-new, redesigned 2012 Honda Civic sedan models have just received the highest possible safety rating of TOP SAFETY PICK from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) under its more-stringent testing guidelines implemented this year, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The IIHS award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in the Institute's tests. All TOP SAFETY PICK vehicles must also include a standard electronic stability control system. The Civic earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test.

Available since April 20, the 2012 Civic represents another important milestone for Honda's best-selling compact vehicle, and reconfirms the company's commitment to excellence with efficient i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine technologies for economy and performance, along with an engaging driving experience and advanced standard safety features.

All 2012 Civic vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

The ninth-generation 2012 Civic introduces a sleeker style and higher fuel-efficiency than the previous generation. The Civic range consists of sedans and coupes powered by conventional gasoline, high-performance, hybrid, and compressed natural gas engine choices. Technology and features new to the Civic include an available "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID), an available Eco Assist™ system and a new Motion-Adaptive Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system that works in conjunction with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®); VSA and EPS are included as standard equipment on all models. All Civic models achieve higher EPA fuel economy ratings¹ compared to the 2011 models, up by as much as 8 percent on the highway in Civic Sedans and Coupes equipped with automatic transmissions.

For 2012, the Civic Sedan and Coupe continue to be available in trim level choices of Civic DX (basic features), LX (popular features), EX (full features) and EX-L (luxury features). The new i-MID on Civic LX-and-above models provides a convenient platform for integration of vehicle information and compatible personal electronics with a driver-oriented 5-inch color LCD display and intuitive steering wheel controls. All 2012 Civic models, except the Civic Si, receive Eco Assist™ technology, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation at the touch of a button while also providing visual feedback to promote or confirm an efficient driving style.

With the best city, highway and combined EPA-estimated fuel economy rating¹ for any currently available four-door sedan (44 mpg), the Civic Hybrid introduces the latest generation of the fuel-efficient Integrated Motor Assist (IMA®) system – now with a lithium-ion battery for the first time on a Honda hybrid vehicle. Plus, an entirely new model, the Civic HF, debuts as a value-oriented, high fuel-economy sedan with the best highway fuel economy rating¹ (41 mpg) for a conventional, gasoline-only powered vehicle with an automatic transmission. The performance enthusiast-inspired Civic Si Coupe and Civic Si Sedan, each with a larger 2.4-liter engine with 201 horsepower and 22 percent more peak torque than before, debut as the most powerful production Civic Si models ever introduced. The Civic Natural Gas (previously named Civic GX) remains the only manufacturer-built, natural gas-powered car currently available in the United States.

Connect with Honda:
Honda Media Newsroom (for journalists): www.hondanews.com
Honda Civic for consumers: www.automobiles.honda.com/Civic
Honda on YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/honda
Honda on Facebook: http://facebook.com/honda
Honda Civic on Facebook: http://facebook.com/hondacivic

Safety: Safety

Thu, 12 May 2011 18:02:00 -0700

Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced technologies and designs to enhance the safety of all road users, including automobile occupants, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians. The company operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test facilities and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of airbag technology, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety. This commitment to safety is based on Honda's goal of being a company that "society wants to exist," and it complements the company's leadership in reducing vehicle emissions, improving fuel efficiency, and advancing alternatives to gasoline.

Comprehensive Approach to Safety

Honda takes a comprehensive approach to vehicle safety, seeking to provide enhanced levels of occupant protection and help with crash avoidance in all Honda and Acura passenger vehicle designs, while also making an active commitment to enhance safety for the occupants of other vehicles as well as pedestrians and other road users.
The company's ‘Safety for Everyone' initiative, undertaken in October 2003, helped lead the industry to the increased application of standard safety features. In 2006, the company fulfilled the core part of the initiative, to equip virtually all Honda and Acura vehicles with a core suite of advanced safety features as standard equipment, regardless of vehicle size or price.

Crash Test Ratings

Honda has been a consistent leader in achieving top-level safety ratings for its vehicles in both government and private industry crash test ratings.
The 2011 Accord is the first vehicle to earn a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and a 5-star rating for all three underlying categories (frontal, side crash and rollover) under the NHTSA's recently modified safety ratings system; while the 2011 Odyssey is the first minivan to achieve a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score.
The 2011 Odyssey is the first minivan to achieve a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, including a score of "GOOD" in all four IIHS ratings categories, including the more rigorous roof-strength test.
In the 2009 model year, Acura became the first-ever automotive nameplate to earn a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star crash safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for ALL models in its lineup.
Also in model year 2009 – prior to changes in the IIHS ratings system for model year 2010 and NCAP system in 2011 – American Honda (Honda and Acura brands) had more vehicles earning both a NHTSA five-star crash safety rating and a IIHS "Top Safety Pick" rating than any other automaker.

Compatibility and the ACE™ Body Structure

Honda has played a leading role in addressing the issue of compatibility in collisions between vehicles of
different size, mass and ride height.

In 2005, Honda introduced the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure on the Acura RL to enhance occupant protection in a frontal collision between vehicles of different sizes and ride heights.
19 of the 21 Honda and Acura vehicles sold today – representing more than 95% of American Honda's new-vehicle sales in the U.S. – incorporate the ACE body structure.

Pedestrian Safety

As part of its commitment to improving safety for all road users, Honda has also led the U.S. automotive industry in the application of features designed to reduce injuries to pedestrians in a collision, such as collapsible hood hinges and breakaway windshield wiper pivots, with a focus on reducing severe head injuries, which account for 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities.

In advancing its designs, Honda first sought to better understand the dynamics of pedestrian collisions with the development of POLAR II, widely recognized as the world's most advanced pedestrian crash test dummy. Tests conducted with POLAR II led to the development of the above noted features.
In September 2008, Honda introduced its third-generation POLAR III test dummy with the enhanced ability to measure crash forces in the lower back and upper leg areas.
More than 9 million Honda and Acura vehicles purchased by U.S. customers, including all model year 2008 and newer vehicles (except the S2000 – discontinued for MY2010) feature pedestrian injury mitigation features and designs.

Advanced Safety Testing

Honda operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test laboratories for development of improved
safety designs and technologies.

The company's Tochigi, Japan, facility was the world's first indoor, multi-directional car-to-car crash testing facility. The Tochigi facility has played a critical role in the development of enhanced designs for occupant and pedestrian safety as well as vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility.
Honda R&D America's Raymond, Ohio, development center performs advanced testing on all U.S.- developed models. The facility features the world's first crash test sled with the ability to simulate the forward pitching motion of an automobile in a frontal collision, allowing for more accurate simulations of vehicle crash dynamics. The Ohio facility also features one of the world's highest resolution impact barriers – a 100-ton moveable crash test block with reconfigurable sides and 450 load cells – enabling precise measurement of the distribution of impact load forces on a vehicle to aid in the development of more advanced vehicle designs.

Industry-Leading Air Bag Technologies

Honda has long been a leader in introducing the industry's most advanced air bag systems, including:

The first front passenger airbag to deploy vertically from the instrument panel, rather than directly at the passenger.
Occupants in the outboard seating positions of every row of every new Honda and Acura vehicle are protected by side curtain airbags.

Other Pioneering Efforts

Honda has been a leader in developing next generation safety technologies, including:

A Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) – introduced on the 2006 Acura RL – as well as continuing research toward future collision avoidance systems and designs for automobiles and motorcycles.
The world's first fully-integrated rider airbag system for a production motorcycle – introduced on the 2006 Honda Gold Wing touring motorcycle.

Safety: Honda Looks To Significantly Improve IndyCar Pit Safety With Innovative Refueling Safety Interlock System

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:47:00 -0700

HPD has developed a new, inter-connected system that includes a fuel-probe sensor and corresponding electronics in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and Gearbox Control Unit (GCU). The system prevents first gear from being engaged in the “paddle shift” system while the refueling hose is still attached to the car in the pit lane.

“Every year, as a result of human error or mechanical malfunction, there are instances of drivers leaving their pit boxes while the refueling hose is still attached to the car,” said Roger Griffiths, technical director at HPD. “All of these incidents create the potential for a fire in the pits and injuries to the driver, crew members, or others in the pit-lane area.

“It was just such an incident – one that resulted in serious injuries during an American Le Mans Series race in 2008 – that led to the development of this system. The system has been in development at HPD since 2009 for use in both the IZOD IndyCar Series and endurance sports-car racing. We’re very pleased to be introducing it here at St. Petersburg."

At the heart of the system is a new fuel-probe electronic sensor, installed in the refueling “buckeye” – or inlet valve – on an IndyCar chassis. When the sensor detects a connection between the pit-lane refueling nozzle and the buckeye, software in the Engine Control Unit signals the Gearbox Control Unit to place, or hold, the transmission in neutral, and prevents the driver from driving off before the refueling hose is detached from the car.

Developed throughout the 2009 and 2010 racing seasons, the system has been repeatedly tested during IZOD IndyCar Series practice sessions and test days to address potential reliability issues, while HPD engineers worked to incorporate the new feature into the Honda Indy V8-powered Dallara chassis currently used by all teams in the series.

Honda is providing every team in the IZOD IndyCar Series with this important safety device, free of charge, and will provide its design, free of charge, to other racing series that request the device.

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the IZOD IndyCar Series – as both a Manufacturers' Championship competitor and single engine supplier – since joining the series in 2003.

The company scored its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2004 with Buddy Rice; Manufacturers' Championships in 2004 & '05; and became engine supplier to the entire IZOD IndyCar Series in 2006. Honda has supplied racing engines to the entire 33-car Indianapolis 500 starting field every year since 2006, and for a record five consecutive years, there has not been a single engine failure in the '500'. The 2010 Indianapolis 500 marked Honda's 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines. HPD is the single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series and spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.

###

Safety: Honda Refueling Safety Interlock System

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:47:00 -0700

American Honda and its Honda Performance Development (HPD) subsidiary today unveiled a unique refueling safety interlock system designed to reduce the potential for pit fires and injuries resulting from drivers leaving their pit boxes with refueling equipment still attached in the IZOD IndyCar Series – a cause of many fires in the past. HPD has developed a new, inter-connected system that includes a fuel-probe sensor and corresponding electronics in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and Gearbox Control Unit (GCU). The system prevents first gear from being engaged in the “paddle shift” system while the refueling hose is still attached to the car in the pit lane.

Safety: 2011 Honda Odyssey Achieves Historic Safety Milestone

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:19:00 -0700

The 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan achieved a historic safety milestone, becoming the first and only minivan to earn the highest possible safety ratings from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under their respective more-stringent testing guidelines. No other minivan this year has received both a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK award from IIHS and a "Overall Vehicle Score¹" of five stars from NHTSA.

The Odyssey was recently named a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK from IIHS, the institute's highest honor. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in IIHS tests, as well as having a standard electronic stability control system. The Odyssey earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test.

In addition to earning the TOP SAFETY PICK designation, the Odyssey was one of the first vehicles to achieve NHTSA's best-possible "Overall Vehicle Score" of five stars. The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. The Odyssey achieved its top "Overall Vehicle Score" with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests² in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. The Odyssey also received four stars for the rollover rating³.

All 2011 Odyssey vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new 3-mode second-row seat design that is more comfortable for center passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering an EPA-estimated⁴ city/highway/combined fuel economy of 19/28/22 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper, integration of FM traffic data on navigation models and much more.

The 2011 Odyssey is truly an American-made vehicle – designed, engineered and assembled in the United States. The Odyssey is produced exclusively at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) using domestic and globally sourced parts.
For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

1 Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs). Vehicles tested under this program cannot be compared to model-year 2010 and earlier vehicles. Ratings can only be compared with similar ratings on model year 2011 and later vehicles if rated under the new program.

2 Includes a new, additional test mode for side-pole impact.

3 Vehicle tested includes electronic stability control as standard equipment, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Honda and Acura vehicles.

4 Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Safety: 2011 Honda Odyssey Earns Best-Possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in More-Stringent Federal Government Crash Test Safety Rating Program

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:35:00 -0800

The all-new 2011 Honda Odyssey has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) best-possible Overall Vehicle Score¹ of five stars and is one of the first two vehicles ever to earn five stars in each seating position for all three crash tests, each crash test category and the overall rating, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The Odyssey joins the 2011 Accord Sedan as one of the few vehicles to date that achieves the federal government's best-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score and five stars in the combined frontal and side crash safety ratings.

The Odyssey achieved its top Overall Vehicle Score with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests² in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. Additionally, the Odyssey received four stars for the rollover rating³, the highest achievable in the light-truck vehicle class using the program's measurement methodology.

The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. As a convenience to new car shoppers, the Overall Vehicle Score represents the combined results of the overall ratings from the frontal crash tests, the side crash tests and the rollover-resistance into a single, summary score between one and five stars. Additional information is available at www.safercar.gov.

Complete NCAP safety rating results for the 2011 Odyssey are:

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new "3-mode" second-row seat design that is more comfortable for center passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering an EPA-estimated⁴ city/highway/combined fuel economy of 19/28/22 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

² Includes a new, additional test mode for side-pole impact.

³ Vehicle tested includes electronic stability control as standard equipment, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Honda and Acura vehicles.

⁴ Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Safety: 2011 Honda Accord Sedan Earns Best-Possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in More-Stringent Federal Government New-Car Assessment Program

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:09:55 -0800

The 2011 Honda Accord Sedan has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) best-possible Overall Vehicle Score¹ of five stars, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

Helping the Accord achieve the top score were five-star ratings for overall frontal crash safety, overall side crash safety and rollover resistance. The Accord is one of only six vehicles to achieve a five-star Overall Vehicle Score to date, and is the first to achieve five stars in each of the three ratings categories: 5-star frontal crash rating, 5-star side crash rating (combined results of side barrier and side pole) and 5-star rollover rating.

The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's more stringent New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. As a convenience to new car shoppers, the Overall Vehicle Score represents the combined results of the overall ratings from the frontal crash tests, the side crash tests² and the rollover-resistance³ into a single, summary score between one and five stars.

Revised for 2011, the frontal crash safety test incorporates a crash dummy representative of a small-size female in the front passenger's seat and, as before, an average-size male crash dummy in the driver's seat. The side-crash safety evaluations continue to include the side-barrier test used previously where a moving barrier strikes a stationary vehicle at an angle. However, a new side-pole test has been added where a moving vehicle strikes a stationary pole barrier. Ratings are provided for both of the individual seating positions in the side-barrier crash safety test, as well as a combined rating for both positions, while the side-pole rating is based on a test of the frontal seating position only. The front seating position side barrier crash safety test result also is combined with the side-pole crash safety test result for a front seat side impact rating, with the results of all of the tests combined into an overall side-crash safety rating.

The side-barrier crash test now implements a combination of male and female crash test dummies, with the male positioned in a front seating position (as before) and the small female (new) in a rear seating position. The newly introduced side-pole crash test exclusively uses the small female crash dummy in a front seating position.

Complete NCAP safety rating results for the 2011 Accord Sedan are:

2011 Honda Accord Sedan NCAP Ratings
Category		Star Rating
Overall Vehicle Rating		5
Overall Frontal Crash Safety Rating		5
	Driver (male)	5
	Passenger (female)	5
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating		5
	Overall Side-Barrier Crash Safety Rating	5
	Front Seating Position (male)	4
	Rear Seating Position (female)	5
	Side-Pole Crash Safety Rating	5
	Front Seat Side impact Rating	4
	Rear Seat Side impact Rating	5
Rollover Rating		5

All 2011 Accord vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

The entire Honda Accord lineup has received updates and improvements for 2011, highlighted by increased fuel economy, enhanced exterior and interior styling, and the addition of a new Special Edition (SE) trim level. With a variety of models available in 4-cylinder and V-6 variations, each Accord model provides a unique balance of style, performance, efficiency and value.

The 2011 Accord Sedan's exterior expresses a more upscale and powerful presence with new styling for the front grille, front bumper and rear deck lid, along with a new wheel design for EX models. improvements to vehicle aerodynamics, engine friction and an optimized fifth-gear ratio on automatic transmission models all contribute to fuel economy improvements. The EPA fuel-economy ratings⁴ for Accord 4-cylinder sedan models equipped with an automatic transmission improve by 2 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city, 3 mpg on the highway and 2 mpg combined, for a city/highway/combined rating of 23/34/27 mpg.

Balancing value and luxury, the new Accord SE Sedan trim level offers all of the standard features from the popular Accord LX-P while adding leather-trimmed seating, heated front seats, driver's power-lumbar support and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.

interior updates on all models include new seat fabrics on models with cloth seats, an updated instrument panel design and more-refined accent points throughout the interior. New features on certain models include a USB Audio interface on Accord EX and EX-L Sedans, a rear-view camera on sedans equipped with the available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation⁵ System™, and all Accord EX models gain the auto on/off headlight feature. Additionally, Accord EX-L V-6 models receive a two-position memory system for the driver's seat.

A 190-horsepower, 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine is standard in the Accord EX and EX-L Sedans. The 2.4-liter i‐VTEC four-cylinder engine in the Accord LX, LX-P and SE Sedans produces 177 horsepower. The available 3.5-liter, 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC® V-6 engine produces 271-horsepower and takes advantage of Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology that can deactivate up to half of the cylinders while cruising to improve fuel economy. EPA fuel-economy ratings⁴ for the 2011 Accord V-6 Sedan are 20 city/30 highway mpg, an improvement of 1 mpg in each environment. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on 4-cylinder models and a 5-speed automatic is available. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard on V-6-powered models.

The fully independent, double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension systems inspire confident handling performance while also providing a comfortable ride. The 2011 Accord Sedan comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers (alloy on LX-P and SE); and 17-inch alloy wheels are standard on EX and above sedan models. All Accords feature four-wheel disc brakes.

Currently more than 95 percent of the Accord vehicles sold in the United States are produced⁶ at Honda of America Manufacturing inc.'s Marysville Auto Plant in Marysville, Ohio, or at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, in Lincoln, Alabama.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

¹Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs). Rating applies only to the Accord Sedan. Vehicles tested under this program cannot be compared to model-year 2010 and earlier vehicles. Ratings can only be compared with similar ratings on model year 2011 and later vehicles if rated under the new program.
²Includes a new, additional test mode for side-pole impact.
³Vehicle tested includes electronic stability control as standard equipment, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Honda and Acura vehicles.
⁴Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
⁵Certain functions that rely on a satellite signal will not work correctly in Hawaii and Alaska. These functions include but are not limited to automatic clock updates and time zone adjustments.
⁶Of domestic and globally sourced parts.

Safety: Crash Test

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:42:18 -0700

Crash Test

Safety: 2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:48:05 -0700

2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test.

Safety: 2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:47:59 -0700

2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test.

Safety: 2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:47:55 -0700

2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test.

Safety: 2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:47:49 -0700

2011 Acura TL IIS Side Impact Test.

Safety: Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Application of Brake Override

Wed, 26 May 2010 09:34:00 -0700

American Honda commitment regarding brake override: We are committed to applying Brake Priority Logic on 100 percent of Honda and Acura passenger vehicles produced for the North American market by the end of calendar year 2011, with our first application coming to market in late August 2010.

Safety: 2010 Honda Digital Factbook

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:00:00 -0700

2010 Honda Digital Factbook

Safety: Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Expansion of Driver's Airbag Inflator Recall

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:01:00 -0800

Honda has expanded a previously announced recall of certain 2001 and 2002 model-year vehicles to replace the driver's airbag inflator in an additional 378,758 vehicles in the U.S. The driver's airbag inflators in these vehicles may deploy with too much pressure, which can cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury or fatality.

In total, Honda is aware of 12 incidents related to this issue as of February 2010. While Honda was aware of two additional events when the decision to first expand the recall was made in July 2009, we are not aware of any new events that have occurred after July 2009. However, we have concluded that we cannot be completely certain that the driver's airbag inflator in the vehicles being added to this recall at this time will perform as designed. Therefore, we have decided to add certain 2001 and 2002 Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V, and selected 2002 Acura TL vehicles to this recall.*

Honda is announcing this recall expansion to encourage all owners of these vehicles to take their vehicle to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification from Honda that their vehicle is affected. Notification to customers will start within this month.

As with nearly all Honda and Acura safety recalls, Honda originally brought this matter to the attention of NHTSA and has kept NHTSA apprised of our decision to include additional vehicles in the expanded recall.

When Honda identifies concerns of this nature, nothing is more important to the company than fulfilling our obligation and responsibility to alert our customers. To this end, as with the July 2009 recall expansion, in addition to contacting customers by mail, owners of these vehicles will be able to determine if their vehicle requires repair by going on-line or calling. Honda owners can go to http://owners.honda.com recalls or call (800) 999-1009; Acura owners can go to http://owners.acura.com/recalls or call (800) 382-2238. When owners of these vehicles receive written notification of this recall from Honda, they should contact their authorized Honda or Acura dealer to schedule an appointment for repair. Honda will also follow the mailed notifications with telephone contact to each customer.

BACKGROUND:
As background, sixteen months ago Honda announced to NHTSA a plan to conduct a recall on fewer than 4,000 model year 2001 Accord and Civic vehicles to replace the driver's airbag inflator, based on our analysis of four instances attributed to the cause of airbag deployments that resulted in rupture of the driver's airbag inflator.

After the original recall in November, 2008, two additional incidents were reported, including one fatality from a vehicle not included in that recall. Our ongoing analysis led us to recognize the potential for additional vehicles to exhibit this symptom, and in July, 2009 Honda expanded that recall to include approximately 440,000 model year 2001 and 2002 Accord, Civic and certain 2002 Acura TL vehicles. To date, Honda is aware of a total of twelve incidents.

If the driver's airbag deploys in an affected vehicle, the driver's airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure which may cause the airbag inflator casing to rupture, resulting in metal fragments passing through the airbag cushion material and possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.

There were two types manufacturing machines used in pressing the inflator propellant. One propellant manufacturing process allowed us to verify that all of the propellant was within specification, but we cannot validate the other process to our satisfaction at this time. We have decided to recall all inflator assemblies that were not confirmed by 100-percent automatic inspection during production because we cannot be absolutely certain they will all perform as designed, even though recent testing of units from this production process performed correctly.

* We are also adding one (1) Honda Pilot and one (1) Acura CL vehicle, each produced in late 2002, to this recall.

Safety: Honda Big Red Safety Features

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:19:00 -0700

Honda Big Red Safety Features

Safety: Honda Announces Overview of Display for the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:51:00 -0700

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced its lineup of production and concept-model automobiles, motorcycles, power products and other highlights for its display at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009. Additional media information including high-resolution photography is available at the company's Japan media Web site, http://www.hondanews.info/news/en/corporate/c090930eng.

Safety: Dog-friendly Honda Element Concept Transforms SUV into Pet-hauling Champ

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:40:00 -0700

New dog-friendly transportation concepts designed for the Honda Element add canine-specific enhancements to one of the most dog-friendly vehicles available, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today at the New York International Auto Show.

Developed specifically for the Element, the Dog Friendly™ components demonstrate the potential for a dedicated pet restraint system designed to meet the needs of dog owners. A finalized version of the Dog Friendly Element is scheduled to debut this fall. Major components will likely include:

a cushioned pet bed in the cargo area with an elevated platform;
second row and cargo area pet restraint systems;
an extendable cargo area load-in ramp;
a 12V DC rear ventilation fan;
second-row seat covers with a dog pattern design (matches the bed fabric);
all-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern;
a spill-resistant water bowl; and
Dog Friendly exterior emblems.

"In an interesting turn of events, cars are now chasing dogs," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "Factory integration of a cushioned pet bed, restraint systems and other components is intended to transform the Element into the ultimate dog car."

The Dog Friendly equipment, engineered specifically for the Element, is designed to accommodate the transportation of dogs in the second-row passenger seats or in the cargo area. The restraint system concepts were designed and fabricated by Takata Corporation, one of the world's leading automotive safety systems suppliers, exclusively for display on the Dog Friendly Honda Element concept vehicle. The restraint concepts are intended to complement the potential of the vehicle's existing restraint systems by helping to protect the dog and helping to prevent injuries to other vehicle occupants due to an unrestrained dog impacting them in a collision. For convenience, a ramp is included to help dogs access the rear cargo area. The ramp stores underneath the bed platform and can be conveniently accessed when the rear tailgate is down.

"In-vehicle pet restraints should be part of every dog owner's safe travel practices," said Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "The expanded availability of manufacturer-based restraints and features can help elevate pet comfort and convenience for owners. Good ventilation and access to water on longer trips should also be primary concerns."

The Element has long been recognized for its dog-friendly interior with an easy-to-clean urethane floor and expansive, flat cargo area (up to 74.6 cu-ft. with rear seats removed), wide-opening side cargo doors, low lift-in height, and accommodating dimensions for tall items. The consumer pet travel advice Web site, Dogcars.com, honored the 2007 Honda Element with its first-ever "Dog Car of the Year" award.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Inc., 39 percent of all households own at least one dog with an estimated total U.S. dog population of 74.8 million. All pet purchases and related products and services comprise an estimated total market value of more than $43 billion (2008 est.).

Substantially restyled for the 2009 model year and available with new features, the Honda Element builds on its spacious and versatile SUV character with a more chiseled exterior appearance and a refreshed interior design. Three unique Element styles are available that range from the rugged and simple Element LX, to the more refined Element EX, to the sporty Element SC.

Powered by a 2.4-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, the Element is available with either a 5-speed manual transmission (standard) or an available 5-speed automatic transmission. Available Real Time 4WD™ can enhance all-weather traction. The interior provides seating for up to four people along with a cargo area that adapts to large items with its flip-up rear seats that fold flat, fold up and to the side, or can be removed altogether (64-plus seating arrangements). The Element EX has a water resistant urethane-coated utility floor that wipes down for ease-of-cleaning and seat fabric that resists moisture.

For 2009, all Elements incorporate significant exterior styling changes that include new front grille and bumper designs, restyled front fenders (now metal, previously composite material), a new hood design, squared wheel arches, and new headlight and taillight configurations. Interior enhancements include revised dashboard color combinations with titanium-look side linings, new fabric patterns, and enhanced switchgear designs and instrument panel meter graphics. The Element EX exclusively adds a new convertible center console with a removable cooler/storage box.

About Honda

The Element is assembled in Ohio at the Honda of America Mfg., Inc., East Liberty Auto Plant using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda is the world's largest engine maker, producing a vast array of products, including automobiles, motorcycles, power equipment and jet aircraft - all designed to advance mobility and improve the lives of people through continued innovations in technology and design. For more on Honda visit www.honda.com. Honda's online multimedia newsroom: www.hondanews.com.

About The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal-protection organization - backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, the HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty - On the Web at www.humanesociety.org.

Safety: Honda to Demonstrate Advanced Safety Technology in New York

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:05:00 -0800

Honda (http://www.honda.com) engineers will demonstrate an advanced vehicle-to-vehicle communications system that helps vehicles avoid collisions with one another as part of Honda's participation in the 15th annual World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems. This will be done by showing a working prototype system on a public road in front of the Jacob Javits Center on Nov. 17-20, 2008.

Intelligent Transportation Systems are aimed at improving transportation through better safety and mobility as well as enhancing productivity through the use of a broad range of advanced information and communications technologies.

Honda's participation in the ITS World Congress is based on the company's focus on the research and development of advanced safety systems and the application of new information technologies to automobiles. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication demonstration, using an Acura RL sedan, is designed to showcase the potential for inter-vehicle communications as a means to reduce vehicle collisions at intersections, which today account for approximately 17 percent of fatal traffic collisions in the U.S. The demonstration will be held at two intersections along 11th Avenue, at 36th and 37th streets, directly in front of the Jacob Javits Center.

Through the use of autonomous sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle radio communication, the goal of the Honda system is to warn drivers of potential dangers at intersections in situations where the driver's view of the oncoming vehicle is obstructed by buildings, trees, fences or large trucks. In the event of an impending collision, the system can provide audio, visual and tactile alerts to the driver.

A key enabler of the system is the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DRSC) system, which allows for inter-vehicle communications at a frequency of 5.9 gigahertz (GHz). The DSRC system allows each vehicle to broadcast a "heartbeat" signal that includes key information such as speed, acceleration and brake status, which can be detected and interpreted by other vehicles in close proximity. Designed primarily as a line-of-sight communications technology, Honda has been working to advance the capabilities of the DSRC system and allow for inter-vehicle communication even in the presence of obstacles to line-of-sight communication, such as large trucks and buildings.

The Acura RL being used in the demonstration is already a technology leader with available Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS™), Active Cruise Control, Active Front Lighting System, and AcuraLink® weather and Traffic Rerouting™.

The vehicle-to-vehicle demonstration will be orchestrated by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., which represents Honda in ITS-related industry-government research programs in the U.S., including the Crash Avoidance Metric Partnership (CAMP), the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) initiative, and the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) program.

Honda Exhibit at ITS World Congress

Honda's exhibit inside the Jacob Javits Center will include a 2009 Acura RL featuring CMBS® and the AcuraLink® vehicle navigation and information system, and a Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, the world's first production motorcycle equipped with an airbag. Further, a number of displays and technologies Honda offers exclusively in Japan will be exhibited, including car to car, car to motorcycle and intersection collision avoidance technologies, the Honda Monpal electric scooter designed for senior citizens with physical limitations, and the company's highly advanced Internavi navigation system which provides route guidance in Japan, including informing the driver of the most fuel efficient route currently available.

Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' Approach to Safety

American Honda's "Safety for Everyone" approach is a comprehensive commitment to vehicle safety that seeks to provide high levels of occupant protection for all Honda and Acura vehicles, regardless of size or price, enhanced compatibility with other vehicles, and improved injury mitigation for pedestrians. As part of this approach, Honda has applied a core suite of advanced safety technologies as standard equipment on virtually all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the U.S. since it announced its "Safety for Everyone" initiative in 2003. These include driver and passenger front and side airbags, side curtain airbags for all rows, and anti-lock brakes (ABS); and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with rollover sensor for all light trucks.

Honda also leads the industry in addressing the issue of compatibility between large and smaller vehicles in a collision with its Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE) body structure, already applied to the 15 of 19 new Honda and Acura models and being applied to the all-new 2009 Honda Fit, which was launched this fall.

Honda has also led in development and application of advanced pedestrian injury mitigation features. More than 8 million Honda and Acura vehicles already on the road in the U.S. today are equipped with features such as collapsible hood hinges and breakaway windshield wiper pivots, designed to reduce severe head injuries that are responsible for 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities. In advancing its designs, Honda first sought to better understand the dynamics of pedestrian collisions with the development of POLAR II, widely recognized as the world's most advanced pedestrian safety dummy. Tests conducted with POLAR II led to the development of these and other design features being incorporated into all new Honda and Acura automobiles.

Honda also operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test laboratories for development improved safety designs and technologies. In 2000, in Japan, Honda established the world's first indoor car-to-car multidirectional crash test laboratory. The facility has played a critical role in the development of enhanced designs for occupant and pedestrian safety as well as vehicle-to-vehicle collision compatibility. In 2003, Honda R&D America's opened an automotive safety test facility in Ohio to perform advanced testing on all its U.S.-developed models as well as advanced research utilizing unique equipment such as the world's first pitching test sled and the world's highest resolution impact barrier.

About Honda
Honda (NYSE: HMC) is the largest manufacturer of engines in the world that power a wide range of products, including automobiles and light trucks, motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment that earn the company more than 23 million customers annually. Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959. The company has since invested more than $10.6 billion in its North America operations, including 16 major manufacturing facilities and 12 major research and development centers.

About ITS
The World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems is held annually, with the location rotating among nations in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. The theme of the 15th World Congress on ITS is "ITS Connections. Saving Time. Saving Lives." The World Congress on ITS is the largest event in the world for ITS leaders, policy makers, and other industry professionals with approximately 35,000 participants. Held in conjunction with ITS America's 2008 Annual Meeting, the event includes more than 200 extraordinary education sessions, exhibitions, and the largest fully-integrated demonstration showcasing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside communication technologies and services.

Safety: Honda Interactive Crash Test Demo Invites Viewers to "See What We See"

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:57:00 -0700

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has launched a unique online video experience of a vehicle crash test that invites viewers to witness the crash impact and explore it from different camera angles and at various motion speeds.

The crash test demo is part of Honda's "Power of Dreams" corporate ad campaign (http://www.dreams.honda.com) which invites consumers to view the world from inside Honda's vantage point. By encouraging the viewer to "see what we see," Honda hopes to foster an understanding of what motivates the mobility company - in this case, the company's long-standing commitment to safety.

"The crash test video provides our customers with an inside look at how Honda engineers think about and develop advanced safety technologies, such as ACE body structure and advanced air bag technology," said Barbara Ponce, manager of corporate advertising. "We think it's best to let customers see for themselves."

The video, which was provided to Honda by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and depicts the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) frontal rating test, shows a white 2008 Honda Accord sedan traveling at 35 mph crashing into a fixed barrier, methodically crumpling the frontal structure in a few milliseconds. The variable speed video and 3 camera angles are accompanied by interpretive copy that explains to viewers what is occurring at different stages of the crash test.

The NHTSA frontal NCAP test resulted in a 5-star driver, 5-star front passenger rating for the 2008 Honda Accord sedan. These are the highest frontal NCAP ratings possible and indicate a 10% or less chance of serious injury in a head-on, 35 mph collision with a vehicle of similar size and weight.

Government star ratings are part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

In 2003, Honda launched its "Safety for Everyone" initiative in North America, a comprehensive approach to vehicle safety that seeks to provide enhanced levels of occupant protection and to help with crash avoidance in all Honda passenger vehicles, while also making an active commitment to mitigate injuries for the occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians. Honda operates two state-of-the-art indoor crash test facilities in Tochigi, Japan, and Raymond, Ohio.

About Honda
Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production in Ohio in 1979, and began U.S. automobile production in 1982 at its Marysville, Ohio, auto plant. The company has invested more than $10.6 billion in its North America operations, including 14 major manufacturing facilities employing more than 35,000 associates and producing more than 4 million products annually, including more than 1.4 million Honda and Acura automobiles as well as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft, lawn mowers, general-purpose engines and other power equipment products. Honda currently partners with more than 600 North American suppliers and on a global basis purchased more than $18.8 billion in parts and materials from North American suppliers last year.

Honda Multimedia Newsroom: http://www.hondanews.com

Safety: Acura MDX and RDX Receive IIHS' Top Safety Pick For 2008

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:00:00 -0800

Acura MDX and RDX luxury SUVs earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2008 TOP SAFETY PICK Award, the IIHS' highest honor. The annual award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side, and rear crashes based on ratings in IIHS tests.

The TOP SAFETY PICK is earned by a small percentage of vehicles sold in America. In an effort to further improve safety, IIHS announced for 2008 that only vehicles with Electronic Stability Control, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Acura vehicles, and advanced head restraints will qualify for its top safety honor. VSA® helps drivers maintain control during emergency driving maneuvers when their vehicle might otherwise lose control.

Every Acura vehicle includes as standard equipment Vehicle Stability Assist™ along with a host of other standard safety equipment including dual-stage/dual-threshold front airbags with Occupant Position Detection System, automatic tensioning front seatbelts with load limiters, specially designed energy-absorbing front end architecture to enhance crash safety, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and Daytime Running Lights.

"Safety remains a paramount concern for all Acura vehicles," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of sales. "Occupant protection is at the forefront of every vehicle that Acura designs."

In addition to TOP SAFETY PICK awards for its SUVs, Acura's RL, TL, and TSX sedans all receive GOOD ratings in IIHS frontal offset tests. Further evidence highlighting Acura's outstanding safety are 5-Star ratings1 (the highest rating possible) for all its vehicles awarded from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) in governmental frontal offset crash tests.

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 268 dealers within the United States. The 2008 Acura lineup features five distinctive models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbocharged RDX luxury crossover SUV and the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle.

For additional information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries please go to www.acuranews.com.

* Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

Safety: Honda Motor Co., Inc. Engineers Receive Safety Awards for Advances in Vehicle Safety

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

At the 20th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) held in Lyon, France, two Honda development engineers were recognized for their extensive contributions to improving vehicle safety by being chosen as recipients of a United States Government Award for Safety Engineering Excellence.

Honda motorcycle engineer Satoshi Iijima was honored for his extensive efforts of over 30 years in the research of motorcycle crash safety, and the development of new motorcycle safety devices, highlighted by the launch of Honda's specialized airbag system for motorcycles. Mr. Iijima's team began their fundamental research into motorcycle airbag systems in 1990. His research findings on motorcycle airbag technologies have been presented at international conferences such as ESV on many occasions, and his dedicated efforts have made a large contribution to the enhancement and improvement of motorcycle technologies related to the crash safety field.

The highly advanced motorcycle airbag system for which Mr. Iijima was recognized was introduced for the first time ever on a production motorcycle in 2006, and integrated into Honda's flagship luxury touring model, the GL1800 Gold Wing. Already renowned for offering the very latest and finest in comfort, convenience and safety features, the Gold Wing was selected as the first full production motorcycle to be equipped with Honda's first airbag system, subsequently winning worldwide recognition and praise for its effective promotion of rider safety.

Concurrently, Honda R&D Americas Senior Engineer, Douglas C. Longhitano was recognized for his important contribution to automobile safety, particularly in the area of pedestrian impact protection.

For more than a decade, Longhitano has lead research programs to further the understanding of pedestrian impacts with SUVs and light trucks in order to help develop more effective countermeasures against injury, and which have significantly contributed to advances in traffic safety.

ESV is one of the world's leading conferences for discussing vehicle safety in an event that brings together researchers, engineers and government officials from all over the world. Beside cars and other road users, it also includes a dedicated session on motorcycle safety. During the long process of research and development of the motorcycle airbag system, Honda reported its findings in various stages at ESV and discussed them with other experts.

The prestigious Award for Safety Engineering Excellence is presented bi-annually by The United States' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the highest federal agency for the prevention and control of traffic accidents in the United States, in recognition and appreciation of extraordinary contributions in the field of vehicle safety technology.

Honda is the only company this year to win this esteemed recognition in both automobile and motorcycle safety fields. This year's ESV conference also featured safety-related presentations and papers by no fewer than eight other Honda Associates, covering important research findings such as collision stresses on expectant mothers, pedestrian impact kinematics and innovative lighting systems to improve motorcycle conspicuity. Honda plays a prominent role in the advancement of many aspects of vehicle safety, and the proven results of our efforts frequently find their way to production vehicles, whether car or motorcycle.

Safety: Sr. Engineer of Honda R&D Americas Douglas Longhitano

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Sr. Engineer of Honda R&D Americas Douglas Longhitano

Safety: Introduction of 2007 Honda and Acura Models Fulfils Industry-Leading 'Safety for Everyone' Initiative

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 14:10:00 -0700

Delivering on its commitment to safety, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has steadily advanced the application of core safety features as standard equipment on its entire fleet of Honda* and Acura models, regardless of size or price. With the introduction of its 2007 model vehicles, the company will have fulfilled the commitment of its 'Safety for Everyone' initiative.

The completion is signaled by standard application of anti-lock brakes (ABS), driver and front passenger side airbags with front passenger Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), and side curtain airbags to virtually all Honda and Acura passenger vehicles- from the subcompact Fit to the Ridgeline pickup truck - as well as Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and rollover sensors for the side curtain airbags on all light trucks. On a sales weighted basis, more than 99 percent of all Acura and Honda vehicles to be sold as 2007 models will be equipped with ABS, side airbags and side curtain airbags.

For 2007, American Honda provides VSA as standard equipment on all Acura vehicles and all light truck models; including Acura's MDX and RDX, and Honda's CR-V, Element, Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline. With the addition of VSA to the 2007 Honda Element, the company has achieved its goal of 100-percent application of VSA to all light truck models. For 2007, VSA is also standard equipment on all V6-equipped Honda Accord models and on Si versions of the popular Civic - meaning that almost 60 percent of American Honda's total fleet has VSA as standard equipment.

In addition, the company will continue to expand the application of its unique Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure for enhanced occupant protection in frontal collisions between vehicles of different sizes, with the goal of 100-percent U.S. application of ACE within the next 4-5 years. To date, the ACE Body Structure has been applied to six of the company's fourteen models, including the Odyssey minivan, Civic Sedan and Coupe, Acura RL, the all-new Acura RDX, 2007 Acura MDX and 2007 Honda CR-V.

In the area of vehicle compatibility, Honda has taken a proactive approach and is meeting, ahead of schedule, voluntary standards for geometric compatibility and is applying its ACE Body Structure to all new vehicle platforms.

2007 Acura Models
Vehicle	ABS	Front Side Airbags	Side Curtain Airbags	VSA	Pedestrian Safety Features
TSX	x	x	x	x	x
TL	x	x	x	x	x
RL	x	x	x	x	x
MDX	x	x	x	x	x
RDX	x	x	x	x	x

2007 Honda Models
Vehicle	ABS	Front Side Airbags	Side Curtain Airbags	VSA	Pedestrian Safety Features
S2000*	x			x
Fit	x	x	x		x
Civic	x	x	x	Si**	x
Accord	x	x	x	V6***	x
CR-V	x	x	x	x	x
Element	x	x	x	x	x
Odyssey	x	x	x	x	x
Pilot	x	x	x	x	x
Ridgeline	x	x	x	x	x

x = standard
* S2000, a specialty vehicle, is not part of the "Safety for Everyone" initiative
** Only Si models of 2007 Civic feature VSA as standard equipment
*** Only V6 Accord models feature VSA as standard equipment

Honda Safety Leadership

Honda has a well-established history of leadership in the development and application of advanced safety technologies and the real world safety performance of all its products. Based on its commitment to offering "Safety for Everyone" through technology and innovation, Honda is improving safety for drivers and passengers of small and large vehicles and for pedestrians.

Honda's research into airbag technology led to the first upwardly deploying front passenger airbags and the first use of front side airbags with occupant position detection sensors to reduce the risk of injuries caused by airbag deployment. Honda has also been a leader in the adoption of dual stage, dual threshold air bags that utilize both crash severity and seat belt use to optimize airbag deployment. Other pioneering efforts include the first vehicle (with standard safety equipment) to earn the federal government's top five-star crash safety rating for both frontal and side impacts (2000 Odyssey), the first small car to earn the federal government's top five-star crash safety rating for both frontal and side impacts (2001 Civic), the first four-door pickup to earn the federal government's top five-star rating for both frontal and side impacts (2006 Ridgeline), and the first small car to earn an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety "Top Safety Pick-Gold Award" rating (2006 Civic).

In addition, Honda has conducted extensive research in the area of pedestrian safety - including development of the world's most advanced pedestrian safety crash test dummy - and is applying a series of pedestrian safety features, such as collapsible wiper pivots and hood hinges, to virtually every model sold in the U.S.

Honda R&D operates two of the industry's most advanced safety research, development and testing facilities in Tochigi, Japan, and in Raymond, Ohio, and continues to research further advances in safety technology and design including intelligent vehicle systems and crash mitigation technologies.

# # #

Safety: Honda Unveils Side Curtain Airbag Technology

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:52:00 -0700

Honda Unveils Side Curtain Airbag Technology

Safety: Honda Updates Status of Industry-Leading 'Safety for Everyone' Initiative

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 18:52:41 -0700

American Honda Co., Inc., today provided an update on the application of advanced safety technology based on its industry-leading 'Safety for Everyone' commitment.

By the end of the 2006 calendar year, following full introduction of its 2007 model vehicles, the company will have fulfilled the commitment of its 'Safety for Everyone' initiative. The completion is signaled by standard application of anti-lock brakes (ABS), driver and front passenger side airbags with front passenger position sensors, and side curtain airbags to virtually all Honda and Acura passenger vehicles - from the subcompact Fit to the Ridgeline pickup truck - as well as Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and rollover sensors for the side curtain airbags on all light trucks. More than 96 percent of all Acura and Honda passenger vehicles sold to date in 2006 are equipped with ABS, side airbags and side curtain airbags.

Further, American Honda has already applied VSA as standard equipment on most light truck models; including the Acura MDX and the Honda Odyssey, CR-V, Pilot and Ridgeline. With the addition of VSA to the 2007 Honda Element and the all-new 2007 Acura RDX, the company will achieve its goal of 100-percent application of VSA to all light truck models. For 2007, VSA will also be standard equipment on all Acura vehicles and V6-equipped Accord models, meaning that almost 60 percent of American Honda's total fleet will feature VSA as standard equipment in the 2007 model year.

In addition, the company will continue to expand the application of its unique Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE™) body structure for enhanced occupant protection in collisions between vehicles of different sizes, with the goal of 100-percent U.S. application of ACE™ within the next 4-5 years. To date, the ACE™ body structure has been applied to the Odyssey minivan, Civic Sedan and Coupe, and Acura RL. Before the end of the calendar year, six of the company's 18 model lines will incorporate ACE™ technology, including the all-new Acura RDX, 2007 Acura MDX and 2007 Honda CR-V.

Based on a fundamental corporate commitment to enhance safety for all its customers as well as occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians, in October 2003, American Honda launched its 'Safety for Everyone' initiative and has steadily advanced its commitment to the application of core safety features as standard equipment on all Honda * and Acura models, regardless of size or price.

"We are committed to safety leadership and continue to research ways to bring new value to our customers through advancements in safety," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda. "This is a critical area of leadership and corporate responsibility for Honda and Acura, and something that is clearly an important priority for our customers".

2007 Acura Models
Vehicle	ABS	Front Side Airbags	Side Curtain Airbags	VSA	Pedestrian Safety Features
TSX	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
TL	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
RL	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
MDX	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
RDX	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
S2000	STD	X	X	STD	X
Fit	STD	STD	STD	X	STD
Civic	STD	STD	STD	Si**	STD
Accord	STD	STD	STD	V6***	STD
CR-V	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
Element	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
Odyssey	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
Pilot	STD	STD	STD	STD	STD
Ridgeline	STD	STD	STD	STD	X

STD = standard; X = not yet available;

* Excludes S2000, which is not part of "Safety for Everyone" commitment
** Only Si models of 2007 Civic feature VSA as standard equipment
*** Only V6 Accord models feature VSA as standard equipment

Honda Safety Leadership

Honda research into airbag technology led to the first upwardly deploying front passenger airbags and the first use of front side airbags with occupant position detection sensors to reduce the risk of injuries caused by airbag deployment. Honda has also been a leader in the adoption of dual stage, dual threshold air bags that utilize both crash severity and seat belt use to optimize airbag deployment. Other pioneering efforts include the first small car to earn the federal government's highest crash safety rating (2001 Civic), the first small car to earn a Insurance Institute for Highway Safety "Top Safety Pick-Gold Award" rating (2006 Civic) and the first four-door pickup to earn a five-star rating for both frontal and side impacts along with the highest rollover rating of any four-door truck (2006 Ridgeline).

Honda R&D operates two of the industry's most advanced safety research, development and testing facilities in Tochigi, Japan and in Raymond, Ohio, and continues to research further advances in safety technology and design including intelligent vehicle systems and crash mitigation technologies.

Safety: Honda to Add New U.S. Auto Plant and New Environmentally Friendly Products

Tue, 16 May 2006 21:34:00 -0700

Honda today announced plans to advance toward its "2010 Vision" for North American automobile operations, in conjunction with a wider global strategy announced in Japan today by Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda's North American plan includes the following new corporate initiatives:

Construction of a new auto plant in the U.S. with an investment of approximately
$400 million to begin production in 2008, with employment of more than 1,500 associates at full capacity.
Construction of a new engine plant in Canada to begin production of four-cylinder engines in 2008 with an investment of $140 million and employment of 340 associates.
Expansion of U.S. engine, transmission and powertrain component production in Ohio and Georgia, with additional investment of $125 million and additional employment of 80 associates.
Introduction in the U.S. and Canada in 2009 of a new, more affordable, dedicated hybrid car.
Introduction in the U.S. and Canada within the next three years of new diesel engine technology that meets U.S. EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards.
Establishment of a goal to increase American Honda's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) by five percent over 2005 levels by the year 2010.

"We continue to experience record demand for Honda and Acura vehicles in North America," said Koichi Kondo, COO of Honda's North American region and president & CEO of American Honda. "To meet the needs of our customers and in accordance with our company's vision for the future, we will introduce new fuel efficient vehicles and deepen our commitment to production in North America and we will do this in an environmentally responsible way regarding our products and the operations that produce them."

"2010 Vision" - Creating New Value for the Customer

Honda's 2010 Vision is a long-term corporate initiative "to become a company that society wants to exist." Initiated in 1998, this three-part 2010 Vision calls for the expansion of Honda's global operations through the year 2010 through "creating new value" for the customer, expanding local operations through "glocalization" and advancing environmental and safety technologies through a "commitment for the future."

"With nine consecutive years of record Honda and Acura auto sales in North America, we will now further strengthen Honda's foundation in North America to meet the future needs of our customers and fulfill the ultimate objective of our 2010 Vision," said Kondo.

"2010 Vision" - Glocalization (Expansion of North American Production)

Honda will invest approximately $665 million and increase employment by more than 1,900 associates to expand North American automobile, engine and transmission production operations¹;, further strengthening its capability to respond flexibly and efficiently to customer demand and changing market conditions, and to create a foundation for future growth. Specific details of the expansion of local production are as follows:

With an investment of approximately $400 million and employment of more than 1,500 associates at full capacity, Honda will construct a new auto plant in the U.S. with an annual capacity of approximately 200,000 vehicles, with production to begin in 2008. The plant - Honda's sixth auto plant in North America and 14th production facility in North America - will feature Honda's most advanced, efficient and flexible production technologies and will have the smallest environmental impact of any Honda automobile plant in North America. Site selection for the new facility has already entered its final stage. Additional details of the new facility, including location and product production plans will be announced at a later date.
As a result of this expansion, Honda's automobile production capacity in North America will increase from 1.4 million to 1.6 million units in 2008.
In conjunction with increased vehicle production, Honda will also invest $140 million to expand engine production in North America with the construction of a new engine plant neighboring the existing Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) operations in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. The plant will begin production in 2008, with an annual capacity of approximately 200,000 four-cylinder engines for supply to HCM-built vehicles. Investment in the facility will total $140 million with new employment of 340 associates.

Concurrent with the expansion of engine production in North America, Honda will continue to increase local production of powertrain components, including transmissions. Key areas of expansion are as follows:

Honda of America Mfg. will invest $75 million in the Anna Engine Plant (AEP) in Anna, Ohio, to increase the number and types of engine parts it produces in Ohio, including engine components currently supplied by plants in Japan. This expansion will include the creation of approximately 40 new jobs and construction of a new building on the same site as AEP. Production of the new components is targeted to begin in 2008.
Beginning in 2008, the Anna Engine Plant will also supply engine components for the new engine plant in Ontario, Canada, and complete engines for the new U.S. automobile plant.

As previously announced, May 12, 2006, further localization activities will be pursued in the area of transmission production. Honda Precision Parts of Georgia (HPPG) will further expand its capabilities by adding casting and machining of transmission cases and other in-house operations to its current capabilities. HPPG began assembly of automatic transmissions for the Honda Pilot and Odyssey, May 1, 2006. This expansion represents a new investment of $50 million and hiring of 40 new associates (to reach $150 million and 440 associates at full capacity).

As previously announced, Honda Transmission Manufacturing of America (HTM) in Russells Point, Ohio, is now completing a $100 million expansion for production of primary transmission gears. Further, in July 2006, HTM will begin production of high precision gears.

"2010 Vision" - Commitment for the Future (Environmental Initiatives)

In conjunction with plans to grow its operations through 2010, Honda will seek to further reduce the environmental footprint of its products and production activities. Honda has long been committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products and operations through increased fuel efficiency, development of advanced environmental technologies, reduction of harmful emissions and elimination of waste. In accordance with this effort, the company will undertake the following activities:

On a global basis, Honda will introduce an all-new, more affordable, dedicated hybrid car to be launched in North America in 2009. This new hybrid vehicle, to be produced at Honda's Suzuka plant in Japan, will have an annual North American sales volume target of 100,000 units (200,000 units worldwide) and a target price significantly lower than the current Civic Hybrid.

Based on its highly successful direct injection diesel engine technology, currently offered in Europe, Honda will introduce in the U.S. and Canada within three years a new 4-cylinder diesel engine that meets the U.S. EPA's stringent Tier 2 BIN 5 emissions standards.

In addition to new vehicle introductions, Honda will seek to achieve top-level fuel economy for existing models with the aim of improving Honda's already industry-leading Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) by five percent in 2010, from its 29.2 mpg 2005 model year CAFE rating for passenger cars and light trucks. This effort will include new products and technologies and the previously announced commitment to introduce within the next two years a more advanced version of Honda's four-cylinder i-VTEC™ technology with up to a 13 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over 2005 levels, and a more advanced Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM) technology for six-cylinder engines with up to an 11 percent improvement in fuel efficiency versus the current VCM system in the Honda Odyssey minivan and Honda Pilot sport utility vehicle.

Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production operations in 1979. Prior to today's announcement, Honda had invested more than $8.5 billion in its North American operations with 13 major manufacturing plants, employment of more than 33,000 associates and the annual purchase of more than $16 billion in parts and materials from suppliers in North America. Nearly 8 of 10 Honda and Acura cars and light trucks sold in America are produced in North America.

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¹; Honda products are produced using domestic and globally-sourced part

Safety: Honda ASV-3 Equipped With New Advanced Safety Technologies

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:09:04 -0800

Honda ASV-3 Equipped With New Advanced Safety Technologies

Safety: Takeo Fukui Announces New Technology Initiatives

Sun, 08 Jan 2006 17:20:00 -0800

Takeo Fukui Announces New Technology Initiatives

Safety: Honda Displays ASV-3 Advanced Safety Vehicles at the North American International Auto Show

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 09:10:00 -0800

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is displaying Honda's ASV-3 Advanced Safety Vehicles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit beginning January 15th. These vehicles are equipped to exchange positional information with other vehicles using Inter-Vehicle Communication technology, in order to facilitate accident avoidance.

Honda ASV-3 vehicles are equipped with several new advanced safety technologies developed by Honda, including a system that uses cameras and radar to provide drivers with information on approaching vehicles and obstacles in the road; a system that offers driver support through steering and brake assist; and an emergency response system designed to aid in rescue efforts in the event of an accident. Honda plans to conduct further research and development of technologies deployed in the ASV-3 research vehicles with a view to implementing them in mass production vehicles.

Honda ASV-3 vehicles represent the culmination of five years of progress since the introduction of the previous generation Honda ASV-2 safety technologies in 2000. In addition to image recognition technology used to analyze images captured by on-board cameras and radar technology used to detect obstacles in the road, ASV-3 vehicles use inter-vehicle communication to ascertain the condition and position of automobiles, motorcycles and pedestrians relative to each other-an especially important capability in situations where cameras and radar alone may be insufficient to gather such data. The system supports motorists' decision-making by rapidly relaying information in a clear, easy-to-understand fashion.

This includes audio and visual warnings for motorcycle riders and automobile drivers, and simple tactile signals for drivers such as vibrating the brake or accelerator pedal or applying torque to the steering wheel.

In addition to supporting driver perception, ASV-3 automobiles feature technologies intended to help prevent accidents, and support systems to help drivers avoid accidents by providing steering and brake assists when it is clear that the driver's maneuvers will not be sufficient to avert an accident. Honda has also developed a system that facilitates a speedy "mayday" response in the event of an accident through the exchange of audio and video information between the affected vehicle and an Operation Center, which can then facilitate a rapid response. Honda has applied research on brain function to overcome the fact that a motorcycle's size and shape can make it more difficult for a driver to detect than an automobile. This led to the creation of new motorcycle design concepts aimed at making motorcycles more visible to other motorists.

Honda places the highest priority on safety in the development of motor vehicles. In addition to providing drivers with driver safety training in Japan, Honda is proactively pursuing practical solutions in the areas of active safety-accident avoidance; passive safety- minimizing injuries in the event of an accident, and pre-crash safety-anticipating accidents and mitigating injuries when a collision is unavoidable. Honda has participated in the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport-promoted Advanced Safety Vehicle (ASV) project since Phase 1 (April 1991- March 1996), and in that time has developed and commercialized a number of advanced safety systems such as Honda Intelligent Driver Support System, Collision Mitigation Brake System and Intelligent Night Vision System. Honda ASV-3 technologies feature further advances in active safety and pre-crash safety- progress toward the realization of Honda's goal of achieving "Safety for Everyone" in the real world-for motorcycles, automobiles and pedestrians alike.

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Additional media information about the ASV-3 Project can be found at http://world.honda.com/news/2005/.

Safety: Honda Safety Pedestrian Dummy Crash

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 02:48:33 -0800

Honda Safety Pedestrian Dummy Crash

Safety: Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:55:37 -0800

Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Safety: Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:55:35 -0800

Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Safety: Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:55:33 -0800

Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Safety: Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:55:31 -0800

Honda Conducts Pedestrian Safety Research

Safety: 2006 Honda and Acura Vehicles Provide Industry Leading Safety Equipment as Part of 'Safety For Everyone' Initiative

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 11:12:00 -0700

Honda's "Safety for Everyone" initiative applies an increasingly comprehensive and industry-leading approach to vehicle safety by providing enhanced levels of occupant protection to Honda and Acura vehicles regardless of size or price, along with improved safety for pedestrians.

A total of ten Honda and Acura vehicles implement the "Safety for Everyone" initiative for the 2006 model year. Honda vehicles that incorporate "Safety for Everyone" technology for 2006 include the Accord, CR-V, Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline and the all-new Civic. Acura vehicles that incorporate "Safety for Everyone" technology for 2006 include the MDX, RL, TL and TSX.

On a sales weighted basis for the 2006 model year, "Safety for Everyone" technology is being applied to approximately 83 percent of American Honda vehicles; 82 percent of Honda Division vehicles and 91 percent of Acura Division vehicles.
The "Safety for Everyone" commitment includes providing the following technologies as standard equipment on all trim levels when applicable: front side airbags, side curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes. Light truck products also include Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) and a rollover sensor for side curtain airbag deployment.

For enhanced pedestrian safety, features in the front of the vehicle such as energy absorbing hood supports and windshield wiper pivots are designed to reduce injuries to pedestrians. The majority of these features and advanced technologies are either optional or not available in competitors' vehicles within the same respective segments.

Honda's unique Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE)™ body structure, which offers enhanced occupant protection, is being applied to all entirely new vehicle platforms in the U.S. and globally over the next five to six years. The ACE structure enhances collision energy management by increasing the area where two frames may connect in a collision and then dispersing that force through more load bearing components compared to traditional body construction.

The following Honda and Acura vehicles employ "Safety for Everyone" technology:

2006 Honda and Acura Models with "Safety for Everyone" Technology

Vehicle	ABS	Front Side Airbags	Side Curtain Airbags	VSA	Pedestrian Safety
Acura MDX	X	X	X	X	X
Acura RL	X	X	X	X	X
Acura TL	X	X	X	X	X
Acura TSX	X	X	X	X	X
Honda Accord	X	X	X	.	X
Honda CR-V	X	X	X	X	X
Honda Odyssey	X	X	X	X	X
Honda Civic	X	X	X	.	X
Honda Ridgeline	X	X	X	X	X
Honda Pilot	X	X	X	X	X

Honda Safety Leadership
Honda has a well-established history of leadership in the development and application of advanced safety technologies and the real world safety performance of all its products. Based on its commitment to offering "Safety for Everyone" through technology and innovation, Honda is improving safety for drivers and passengers of small and large vehicles as well as for riders of motorcycles and ATVs, and for pedestrians.

Safety: Honda To Provide New Consumer Safety Information On All Cars And Trucks

Tue, 28 Jun 2005 08:50:00 -0700

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today a new voluntary program to provide important safety information to consumers. Monroney labels (window stickers) on all 2006 model year Honda and Acura cars and light-duty trucks will include a listing of government crash test ratings. Honda will be the first company to make this safety information available to consumers on the important window labels, that show pricing, vehicle features, point of origin, Environmental Protection Agency numbers, domestic content, emissions and other information.

In keeping with Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' initiative, all vehicle window stickers will display the star ratings awarded under the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA), New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) for frontal, side and rollover crash safety test ratings.

"Honda's commitment to safety goes beyond conventional measures with our 'Safety for Everyone' initiative," said John Mendel, senior vice president, automobile operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Honda's initiative is just one of several actions we are taking to advance motor vehicle safety and to educate consumers."

Honda's action to revise its window labels to include safety rating information is modeled after the 'Stars on Cars' initiative sponsored by U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH). Senator DeWine's provision in the Highway bill would require manufacturers to post NHTSA crash tests "star" ratings on vehicle pricing stickers.

"I would like to congratulate Honda on this announcement. As with its 'Safety for Everyone' initiative, Honda has shown again today that it is willing to innovate and take voluntary action to protect the driving public. I look forward to a time when all new cars will come standard with 'Stars on Cars' labels," stated Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio). "This common-sense legislation is included in the Senate's version of H.R. 3, yet is not in the House's, and I urge the Conference Committee to include it in the final report. Vital safety information needs to be accessible to the consumer when they need it most, at the dealership when purchasing decisions are made," Senator DeWine said.

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program provides consumers with vehicle safety information on front and side crash tests, as well as rollover ratings. The test results are publicized through a recognizable star rating system - from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the best score. The star ratings, are accessible on the safercar.gov website but may not be readily available on the showroom floor.

"Honda is setting a good example for other manufacturers by getting safety information to the customer at the point of sale," said NHTSA Administrator, Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. "This voluntary action helps the market work for the safety of consumers."

Honda has more vehicles than any other brand that achieve a top rating for both frontal and side impacts under the federal government's NCAP and SINCAP crash rating programs.

Through Honda's industry-leading 'Safety for Everyone' initiative, all Honda and Acura vehicles, with the exception of a small number of specialty vehicles, will feature a suite of advanced safety technologies. By the end of calendar year 2006, front side airbags with an Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes will come as standard equipment. Most Honda and all Acura light-duty trucks, including all SUVs and minivans, will also be equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) and rollover sensors for side curtain airbag deployment.

Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' initiative is based on the company's commitment to leadership in safety and to providing a high level of occupant and pedestrian protection in all its cars and trucks, as well as increased crash compatibility with other vehicles, regardless of size or price. In addition to having two of the world's most advanced crash test research centers, Honda has conducted industry-leading research into increased pedestrian safety and car-to-car crash compatibility, two critical issues in the quest to further reduce traffic-related injuries and deaths.

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For more information regarding the NHTSA tests, visit www.safercar.gov. Consumer information regarding Honda products is available at www.honda.com. Media information and high-resolution image downloads of Honda vehicles are available at www.hondanews.com.