Dublin, Ireland, April 6, 2004 – Honda has become a founding signatory of the European Road Safety Charter, a major part of the European Commission’s plan to reduce road deaths, by 50% by 2010.
As market leader in the European motorcycle market, Honda has committed to a significant increase in the availability of its Advanced Braking System, an important safety development for motorcycles, mopeds and scooters. By 2007, the majority of its products will be equipped with this system.
Yasuhisa Maekawa, Vice President of Honda Motor Europe and President of Honda R&D Europe commented, “Honda is a mobility company manufacturing both cars and motorcycles, so safety for all road users is a priority for us. We have already brought many safety initiatives to the European market, especially in the field of pedestrian protection as the EuroNCAP results demonstrate. Now we are committed to a significant increase in the application of our Advanced Braking System so that our motorcycle customers benefit from this important safety technology.”
Honda’s Advanced Braking System for motorcycles are brake systems in which either Anti-Lock Brake Systems and/or Combined (or linked) Brake System are present.
Each year nearly 40,000 people are killed on Europe’s roads and according to CARE (EU Road Accident Database) some 17% of all fatalities are motorcyclists (motorcycles, scooters, mopeds).
Honda has other major initiatives on motorcycle safety, especially rider training. In 1998, Honda UK’s MAC (Motorcycle Appreciation Course) Rider Training Scheme won the Prince Michael Road Safety Award. In addition, Honda manufactures riding simulators, which provide virtual real-world training experience for riders to learn about potential hazards and craft their skills in the safety of an electronic simulator. In Germany Honda has a major initiative with its simulators and several are now with the ADAC.
For cars, Honda leads the way in overall occupant and pedestrian safety as evidenced in the EuroNCAP ratings. In addition the company has been developing new safety technologies in relation to rear end accidents and crashes between cars of different sizes.
Safety Development History
Motorcycle
- ABS and CBS and Combined ABS brakes to give enhanced and stable braking performance in almost all conditions
- Riding simulators to help educate riders about safe riding, bike control and training for emergency situations
- Rider education in centres and programmes worldwide to promote safe riding of motorcycles, scooters and mopeds
Car
- Anti lock brakes in 1983
- Four wheel steering in 1986
- Airbag in 1987
- In 1998, G-Force Control technology was introduced resulting in major passive safety improvements for occupants and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. This technology has been extended to almost all European models
- Polar II, a second generation pedestrian crash test dummy developed to aid real-world pedestrian car collision simulation, was introduced in May 2000
- Highest ever pedestrian score in EuroNCAP achieved by 2001 Civic
- Honda Intelligent Driver System introduced in 2002 assists in driver lane control and distance from car in front.
- Collision Mitigation Brake System introduced in Japan in 2003, to reduce rear end collisions by automatically braking the car