Honda must feel left out of the self-driving vehicle party because it just inked a multi-year deal to work with a U.S.-based artificial intelligence startup to develop the tech. The Japanese automaker and Helm.ai — a company it has an equity stake in — will work together to produce advanced driver assistive technology for Honda's mass-market vehicles by 2027.
Right now, there's no word on the value of the contract or how long it will last, but it's a clear sign that Honda has joined in on the race
to develop "end-to-end" driving tech, according to a statement put out by both companies. At the very least, it shows the Honda is trying to catch up with GM's Super Cruise (the gold standard, if you ask me), Ford's BlueCruise, and Tesla's Autopilot.
In the statement, Honda's VP of software-defined vehicles said the move is all about safety:
"This joint development supports Honda's goal of realizing safe and affordable automated driving technologies for our global customers," Mahito Shikama said. "Through our collaboration with Helm.ai, we are advancing the development of AI technologies that enhance the real-world applicability of autonomous driving systems, bringing us closer to a future with zero traffic collision fatalities."
Read more: These Are The Dumbest Car Crashes You've Ever Seen
A Long Time Coming
Honda began investing in the Redwood City, California-based company all the way back in 2021 — throwing in at least $30 million right off the bat, according to Bloomberg. The Silicon Valley startup, which specializes in camera-based computerized perception and simulation software, was founded in 2016. So far, it has raised over $100 million thanks to a number of other automakers and parts suppliers.
"This joint development highlights our shared vision of enabling AI-powered mobility at scale," Vladislav Voroninski, Helm.ai's CEO and founder, said in a statement.
As much as I am not a fan of the whole artificial intelligence thing, I can understand it from Honda's perspective. Its driver assistance programs lag well behind key competitors, so working closely with a company that specializes in this exact thing can only be beneficial. Right? Either that, or the cars will soon take over using their shared AI brain.
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