Automotive

Honda AC-X plug-in hybrid concept has adaptive aerodynamics and autonomous driving mode

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Few road-going cars have seen variable aerodynamics beyond the raising of rear spoilers in a small number of very expensive exotic supercars - the AC-X looks set to change that
Honda obviously has something interesting in mind for the aerodynamic efficiency of the wheel cover on the AC-X
Honda's AC-X interior
The Honda AC-X hybrid charging indicator
Honda AC-X automatic driving mode at night
Honda's AC-X is a real smorgasbord of viable near-future automotive technology
The driver's view of the AC-X
Another driver's view of the AC-X
Honda AC-X interior
Honda's AC-X lowers its rear undercarriage
Honda's AC-X could turn out to be a significant milestone in automotive technology with its shapeshifting underbelly
The AC-X front bumper bar raises and lowers depending on speed
The AC-X front bumper bar raises and lowers depending on speed
The AC-X rear bumper bar raises and lowers depending on speed
Honda AC-X rear view
Honda's Smart Connect
Few road-going cars have seen variable aerodynamics beyond the raising of rear spoilers in a small number of very expensive exotic supercars - the AC-X looks set to change that
Honda AC-X
Honda AC-X
Honda AC-X dashboard display features a 3D view of the surroundings of the vehicle
Honda AC-X dashboard
Honda AC-X dashboard
View gallery - 21 images

Any fan of Formula One racing will tell you that very small changes to the underside of an automobile can deliver major changes to the speed, handling and road-holding of said automobile. Due to the extreme costs associated with wind-tunnel development, varying the shape of racing cars is largely banned, and hence very few road-going cars have seen variable aerodynamics beyond the raising of rear spoilers for added down-force at speed, as used in the Bugatti Veyron and a small number of other very expensive exotic sports cars. One of Honda's latest batch of concept cars looks set to break with tradition though, by exploring this theme with front and rear bumpers which raise and lower to offer better aerodynamics depending on the speed.

Honda's line-up of concept automobiles, motorcycles, power and mobility products at the Tokyo Motor Show this year is very impressive, and the most interesting is the AC-X, a next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle that at first glance appears to be relatively conservative for a vehicle designed to gauge public opinion on new technologies and designs.

Honda's AC-X is a real smorgasbord of viable near-future automotive technology

Indeed, the entire release devoted to the AC-X in the lead up to its debut at the 43rd International Tokyo Motor Show next month reads as follows: "A next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle which offers a more comfortable and enjoyable time in the vehicle during all driving situations, from urban to long-distance driving. With the choices of an "engine drive mode" for more aggressive driving or an "automatic drive mode" for more relaxed driving, the vehicle broadens the joy of mobility."

That's really not a lot to go on, but an examination of the photographs released by the Japanese manufacturer reveals some interesting technologies at work, and some of them might not be all that far from production models.

Honda AC-X

Among the captions showing the car from close-up front and rear angles was the "AC-X Adjustable Aerodynamics Bumper (front)" and "AC-X Adjustable Aerodynamics Bumper (rear)".

Honda AC-X

Closer examination of those images indicates the front apron and rear bumper/pan raise and lower to obtain aerodynamic advantage - no details have been provided, so Honda's press conference on the November 30 press day at Tokyo Big Sight should be well worth attending.

Honda obviously has something interesting in mind for the aerodynamic efficiency of the wheel cover on the AC-X

Honda must have upgraded its wind-tunnel facilities in recent times, because looking at the company's concept cars set for release at Tokyo, there's clearly a lot more emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency. Even the wheel covers on the AC-X appear to close at speed to ensure every last percentage point of aerodynamic loss is reduced, and the Micro Commuter Concept is also clearly brimming with minor aerodynamic detail intended to make the car as efficient as possible.

The driver's view of the AC-X

The same set of images released by Honda also indicates that the AC-X will also make use of what appears to be a very smart "key" which will be known as Honda Smart Connect. The functionality of the Honda Smart Connect has not yet been released, but clearly the dockable handheld device is carried by the owner of the vehicle and acts as a remote connection to the vehicle to indicate the state of charge of the next-generation plug-in hybrid, hence the "Smart Connect" name.

Honda's Smart Connect

Further functionality will need to be pretty special, because the Smart Connect is the size of a smartphone, and if that's all that can be done with the key, Honda would be better off building a smartphone app and saving owners the effort of carrying yet another gadget. Logically, the Smart Connect will have far greater functionality - any ideas?

Several other innovations stand out from the images Honda has released, most notably that the steering wheel has been dispensed with and in its place is a pair of joysticks.

Honda AC-X dashboard

Most interestingly, two of the images indicate that the joysticks retract when the vehicle enters what Honda is calling "automatic driving mode", indicating that the AC-X features some form of autonomous or semi-autonomous mode which does not require the driver to steer the vehicle.

Honda AC-X dashboard

Finally, examination of the images indicates that in addition to a heads-up display projected onto the windscreen, there's also a panoramic 3D view of the surroundings generated not only onto the driver's display, but across the entire dashboard, even onto the passenger side of the vehicle, with the driver having a view of the immediate surroundings, but the passenger getting an aerial view of the city.

Needless to say, we're looking forward to seeing this one.

Honda AC-X dashboard display features a 3D view of the surroundings of the vehicle

View gallery - 21 images
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7 comments
Τριαντάφυλλος Καραγιάννης
That\'s all very impressive, Honda, but the idea of bumpers with moving parts is not exactly viable in the real world. Take a brand new car out of the dealer and the next thing that happens to it is that it gets bumped, even slightly, by other cars going in and out of parking spaces next to it.
So, chances are the owner will enjoy a working adjustable bumper for maybe a month or two... and then they\'ll just have to live with a \"dead\" bumper that is just too expensive to fix / replace.
Other than that, Honda as usual never ceases to impress us with what they come up with. As a happy owner of an 8th-generation Civic (european h/b model), I look forward to what will come out of their factories (and I personally look forward to a revised HRV :) )
voluntaryist
I like the joy sticks. But sealed wheel covers? Why not go all the way and seal the wheel wells? Is the undercarriage sealed? What is the weight?
Adrian Akau
These are just aerodynamic crumbs that Honda believes may attract buyers just like Fords front shutters. The Cd is not given and neither is the Cd x A nor the weight of the vehicle. If the Cd is below 0.20, then then would have something aerodynamically sound but just looking at the car, I would find this hard to believe. The aerodynamics do not need to change but just be good. Fancy bumpers will not do the trick. What is needed is:
1. Lowering of the car weight 2. An air divider in the front 3. Undercarriage cover with slight front and back taper upwards 4. Good, smooth front taper upward and rear top taper downward (more gradual than front taper) 5. Side taper from front to back going inward
Basically the shape should look like a tuna which can swim up to 70 mph under water.
Charles Bosse
The joysticks look nice, but they take away the ability to turn hand-over-hand, which seems like a pretty big limitation for a car. As for the key, it shows a signal bar, so maybe it is a smartphone app... or a smartphone. I don\'t know how an app could be secure enough to use as a key though.
FastGuy
What\'s all this talk about monotonous driving? Of course it\'s monotonous...the speed limits are set too low, people don\'t drive carefully anyway, and there\'s too many cars on the road. I don\'t see why the...what?...oh. Oh, I see. Never mind.
Neil
No car shaped like a car is aerodynamic with one exception, the Aptera. And that looks to be dead in the water.
TogetherinParis
This is ridiculous without a boat tail and with those air-anchoring open wheel wells.