Honda Begins Sales of Honda Safety Navi Safe Driving Educational Software for PC-based Auto Driving Simulator
May 20, 2009, Japan
TOKYO, Japan, May 20, 2009 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today begins sales in Japan of Honda Safety Navi, new educational software for safe driving developed for a PC-based automobile driving simulator.
Combined with a retail personal computer and accessories such as a steering wheel, Honda Safety Naviprovides a simple and easy to use automobile driving simulator. Honda Safety Navi will be sold as software alone or bundled with the recommended hardware.
Leveraging know-how Honda accumulated through its development of automobile driving simulators that Honda has sold mostly to driving schools since 2001, Honda Safety Navi was developed for a wider-range of users. The use of a personal computer enables the user to readily experience the simulator in a space as small as a desk. In addition, users learn simply by following the on-screen and audio instructions, making an instructor unnecessary.
Honda Safety Navi contains two types of programs. One program ("Eco-Drive") helps users understand fuel-efficient driving techniques and learn key points of eco-driving. The other program ("SD* Coacher") helps users learn key points of safe driving in the case of risks inherent to various road conditions such as snow, rain, and night driving. Honda Safety Navi is designed to enable users to enjoy learning about eco and safe driving. This is the first time for Honda to develop software for an automobile simulator which helps users to learn eco-driving.
By pricing it affordably, Honda aims for widespread use of this software -- which enables drivers of all levels, from beginner to experienced, to learn safe driving through a virtual experience -- by a range of customers including automobile dealers, public offices, companies whose employees use automobiles for commuting or business purposes, and driving schools.
- *SD - Safety Drive
Installation example of recommended hardware
Image of "Eco-Drive" screen display
| ●Sales Plan (in Japan): | 200 units per year |
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| ●Suggested Retail Prices (in Japan): | ||
| Software price | 210,000 yen (200,000 yen before tax) | |
| Software & hardware bundle price* | 298,000 yen (283,809 yen before tax) | |
- *Honda Safety Navi and recommended hardware
Key features of Honda Safety Navi:
- Combined with retail hardware (PC, monitor, speaker, steering wheel, foot pedals), Honda Safety Navi provides a simple and easy to use automobile driving simulator.
- The function that provides the user with easy-to-understand explanations while reviewing driving results enables the user to learn eco and safe driving through their own experience.
- Honda Safety Navi contains two kinds of programs - "Eco-Drive" helps users learn key points of eco-driving and "SD Coacher" helps the user learn key points of safe driving.
| -"Eco-Drive" | This is the first time for Honda to develop software for an automobile simulator which helps users to learn eco-driving | |
- 1)Measures the level of eco-driving for the user's driving.
- 2)Provides easy-to-understand explanations of key points of eco-driving while reviewing the user's driving.
- 3)Diagnose the user's eco-driving level based on graphs which show the user's acceleration and fuel-efficiency patterns.
- 4)The user drives again based on the instruction provided.
--"SD Coacher":
- Driving examination course:
Users learn driving skills while driving based on the examiner's instructions. In addition, users can learn as if they are playing a fun game while taking a quiz about traffic laws and regulations.
- Regular road course:
Users learn the risks related to the most common accidents on regular urban roads including collisions that occur between a vehicle heading straight and a vehicle turning right from the opposite lane, as well as other collisions between two cars approaching an intersection.
- Highway course:
Users learn key safety points of highway driving such as entering the highway and changing lanes.
- Driving on snowy road course:
Users learn about typical road conditions while vision is limited due to snow and key safety points of snowy road driving
- Driving on rainy road course:
Users learn about typical road conditions while vision is limited due to rain and key safety points of driving in the rain.
- Night time driving course:
Users learn about limited vision during the night and key safety points of night time driving.