Designed to create new possibilities for customers, Honda’s NeuV (pronounced “new-v”), which stands for New Electric Urban Vehicle, is a concept vehicle whose genesis is based on the fact that privately owned vehicles sit idle 96 percent of the time.
The NeuV explores the idea of how to create new value for its owner by functioning as an automated ride-sharing vehicle, picking up and dropping off customers at local destinations when the owner is not using the car.
When it’s not in use, the NeuV also can sell energy back to the electric grid during times of high demand. These activities have the potential to create a new business model for enterprising customers.
The NeuV also functions as a thoughtful and helpful AI assistant utilising an “emotion engine” called HANA (Honda Automated Network Assistant), which is an emerging technology developed by Honda and SoftBank. For its application in the NeuV, the “emotion engine” will learn from the driver by detecting the emotions behind the driver’s judgments and, then, based on the driver’s past decisions, make new choices and recommendations.
HANA can also check on the driver’s emotional well-being, make music recommendations based on mood, and support the owner’s daily driving routine.
The NeuV features a full touch-panel interface enabling both the driver and passenger to access a simple and convenient user experience. The vehicle has two seats, a storage area in the back, and an electric skateboard for “last mile” transit. The NeuV also features outstanding outward visibility via a headerless windshield and a dramatically sloping belt line that make manoeuvring easy in city areas.
