Honda has implemented a range of technologies over the years to improve the dynamic performance of cars. In 1987, it introduced the world’s first steering angle response system, a four-wheel steering (4WS) system, in the Prelude. Then in 1996, it added the Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS) to the Prelude. This system increased turning force through distribution of driving torque between the front left and right wheels.
In 2000, Honda introduced Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGS), a system that varies the steering gear ratio continuously according to vehicle speed and steering angle, to the S2000. In 2004, it introduced Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), the world’s first system with the ability to freely control driving torque distribution between the front and rear wheels, and between the left and right rear wheels, to the Legend. Then in 2014, it introduced the evolved Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system, which enabled advanced torque vectoring using the engine and three motors, to the Legend again.
In 2016, when Sport Hybrid SH-AWD was used on the NSX, it introduced motor torque-based turning torque vectoring to achieve quick turning at low- to mid-range speeds and outstanding stability at high-range speeds, which were not possible on previous supercars. It delivered surprising levels of steering response and on-the-rails handling.
However, focusing on driving torque-related technologies alone is insufficient for improving dynamic performance and providing a new handling experience full of the joy of driving. This requires further development of the body and suspension to improve basic performance of the car. An easy to use cockpit and good visibility are also essential. In other words, a human-centered approach is needed, as expressed in these quotes from company founder Soichiro Honda:
“Technology is a means for serving people, and it is only real technology when it makes people happy.”
“What I am researching is not technology, but rather what people like.”
Ever since it was founded, Honda’s aim has been to follow a human-centered approach in creating cars that appeal to the senses, and to enhance value creation that can be passed on through all of Honda’s automotive products. One of the main elements of value creation is dynamic performance, evolved through a range of technologies such as 4WS and SH-AWD. But dynamic performance is not limited to driving, turning, and stopping. It also includes ride comfort and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness performance).
Honda’s concept of dynamic performance is “joy and freedom of mobility,” which it expresses in English communications as “Enjoy the Drive.” Use of “the drive” instead of “driving” in this case was meant to convey Honda’s belief that if a driver has confidence and trust in the car, then the other occupants will have peace of mind as well. While only the driver does the driving, all occupants in the car go for the drive. Therefore, as a concept offering the joy of freedom and mobility, Enjoy the Drive is not just limited to the driver’s perspective.
Honda’s dynamic performance approach has been implicit knowledge among its engineers involved in development. They have always believed that respecting the concept behind each model, and creating cars with the most advanced technologies available at the time, creates a unique Honda appeal that can be conveyed to the customers for broad adoption in society. The production workers, as well, have passed down that development attitude from one engineer to the next, as if from parent to child without having to rely on a manual.
From around 2015, Honda started to shift dynamic performance from the area of implicit knowledge to explicit knowledge by making an effort to measure affective value and emotional value. While Enjoy the Drive summarizes the concepts passed down through the generations, the significant parts of this slogan have been replaced with a performance policy that defines “on-the-rails handling” as the feeling of driving “at the will of the driver.”
When the car moves as expected, driving becomes more fun, stress-free, easy, and satisfying. In this way, rather than mobility that causes customers to hesitate, the more they drive, the more they will want to use that mobility to drive. The lighter, more refreshed, and more comfortable they will feel. This is the essence of Honda’s concept of dynamic performance.
The following are the four elements of driving, turning, stopping, and NVH into which this essence of dynamic performance can be broken down, together with an explanation of each concept.
Driving
Agile-feeling acceleration and sound (responsive and smooth)
Turning
Handling with a strong sense of integration (responsive and linear)
Stopping
Easy-to-control braking (effective and linear)
NVH
Outstanding on-the-rails handling (clear and smooth)
In summary , dynamic performance entails ensuring safety to earn the trust of customers, improving the basic performance of driving, turning, and stopping, clarifying the passive performance of NVH, and focusing on braking control, handling that is strongly integrated with turning, and acceleration and sound that feel agile. By providing these elements as a harmonized feeling of operation when driving, with high quality feedback of the car’s behavior, it is possible to create cars that allow the driver to feel the “at-will handling” of the car.
During the process of organizing these concepts, a whiteboard was used to record the implicit knowledge handed down through the generations as traditions, with information also written down on sticky notes, and otherwise put into words using primitive techniques. The aim was to give the concepts physical values. Even so, the essence of “at will” is something that was difficult to convey, so a dynamic study model was created to symbolize a car in development. And instead of sharing these feelings with evaluation divisions only, all divisions that had an effect on dynamic performance, including those dealing with engines, transmissions, suspension systems, and brakes, were included in the process.
Dynamic study model displayed at 2017 Honda Meeting
As the essence of the “at will” concept spread throughout the divisions, they started breaking it down to its elements and considering the hardware required to realize it. In the same way that the concept was broken down into the four elements of driving, turning, stopping, and NVH for a deeper understanding, each division broke down, and defined, their idea of what this hardware should be.
The resulting dynamic study model, used to convey the essence of “at-will handling” through not only physical values but feelings as well, reflected the following ideas. For example, the way a 5 kg load feels in the hand is different from the way a 5 kg load feels on the foot, even when it is the same 5 kg load. In other words, it is not just physical values that are important. Uniformity of the way the car operates, as felt through human senses, is also important, and this is the message conveyed by the dynamic study model.
Because the movement of the car is achieved through a combination of gas pedal, brakes, and steering wheel, these physical elements should also be well-connected. Feedback that allows the driver to feel the state of the car is also needed, as is agility that makes the car feel nimble. All these things were expressed in the dynamic study model. And when the engineers in divisions that had an effect on dynamic performance could actually feel these things physically, they were finally able to understand the essence of making cars that move at the will of the driver.
Once Honda clarified its concept of the ideal dynamic performance and shared it with the engineers involved in development, they were able to gain a deeper understanding. For example, the powertrain development division could better understand what a car that turns “as expected” really means. For instance, car behavior can become unstable in a turn depending on how the driving torque is applied. However, if steering wheel operation can trigger the car to point toward the inside of a corner, leaving the driver to just apply the gas pedal with confidence, then the driving experience can be improved. In other words, using the foot (gas pedal) to control the car, rather than using the hands (steering wheel) to change direction, leads to a more comfortable drive.
It is also important that the body has the rigidity to absorb external disturbances and reliably transmit the flow of forces. With the suspension, the ideal situation is for load shifting to be smoothly achieved while following the road surface, even on rough roads, without shaking the occupants or shifting their perspectives. The steering system should reliably convey information to the driver while responding well to minimal steering action. And it is also important for the gas pedal to be responsive and provide a high level of information through the feeling of acceleration and deceleration.
Making cars that move at the will of the driver need to be backed by trust at the same time. Although less stable elements can make the drive enjoyable as well, they relate to a limited number of situations and to well-experienced drivers. But when the driver has trust in the car, they can press the gas pedal with confidence.
The joy and freedom of mobility incorporates three ideas. The first is simple mobility, like just putting on a pair of sneakers to go out. The second is easy mobility, offering relaxation to the occupants. And the third is fun mobility, where you can easily lose track of time. Honda’s approach to making cars is to make driving casual and enjoyable. If vehicle posture is easy to control as well, the drive can also be enjoyed by occupants in the passenger and rear seats. Therefore all occupants can be happy.
One of the great things about Honda cars is that they are simple to handle. Another of the great things is that, while enhancing safety performance inevitably leads to physically heavier cars, Honda cars feel agile and nimble at the same time. All of these technologies introduced by Honda to improve dynamic performance combine to bring the Enjoy the Drive concept to reality.
