Originally published November 29 2005
Self-steering car launches in Japan
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Honda will be the first to offer the self-steering car system outside Japan, and predicts it to be standard across all models within 10 years. The car is able to stay between the lines with a tiny camera that scans the road.
Technology has reached a watershed with the launch in Japan of the first self-steering car, which will be in British showrooms next year.
Drivers will be able to sit back and allow the "automatic chauffeur" to follow the motorway and safely keep its distance from other vehicles.
Honda has beaten rivals to be the first to offer the system outside Japan, which it claims reduces the stress of long journeys.
"We see it as a way to reduce the human error involved in an accident and it could be the biggest step forward in driver safety since the airbag."
If the vehicle strays, an electro-mechanical system gives a nudge to the power steering.
The car also has a cruise control system that keeps it at a steady speed unless the vehicle in front brakes.
Known as Adas (advanced driver assistance system), the autopilot will come as standard on Honda's �35,000 Legend and as a �2,000 option on its �22,000 Accord.
Several manufacturers including Mercedes, Lexus and Jaguar offer automatic cruise control.
By incorporating automatic steering, Honda has taken another step closer to the driverless cars of sci-fi movies.
The Sunday Times tested the system last week at speeds of up to 80mph on Honda's Takasu test track in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
On bends the steering wheel nudged gently clockwise and anticlockwise as the car corrected itself and negotiated the angles.
"Even through curves at 80mph, the steering wheel gently and unobtrusively makes corrections to maintain position," said Ray Hutton, who drove the car for The Sunday Times.
Honda's automatic steering system works only between 45mph and 112mph and on wide radius bends --- the sort of conditions usually found on motorways.
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