Technology has almost become a synonym for Honda, and many car enthusiasts even joke that "buy an engine and get a car for free." Although this is just a joke, it also gives us a glimpse of everyone's recognition of Honda's technology.

According to Interbrand's 2020 Global Top 100 Brand Value Ranking (Automobile Category), among the 15 brands on the list, Honda once ranked higher than Tesla, the car company with the highest market value, and even Volkswagen, whose sales volume is twice its own. A large part of the reason why Honda has such a high ranking is that Honda often goes further on the road of technological innovation.

On March 22, Honda held an online conference for the third-generation Honda CONNECT system with the theme of "This Journey is Smarter". With the industry-leading intelligent voice as the interactive interface, it has realized innovative features such as "AI Intelligent Assistant", "Daily Life Interconnection", "Remote Control", and "OTA Online Upgrade". It has also fully upgraded advanced functions such as precise navigation and online entertainment to create a new smart travel experience for users. It is reported that the third-generation Honda CONNECT will be installed on Honda's new models starting in the second half of 2021.

Break the routine and make driving smarter

In order to let everyone know more about the third-generation Honda CONNECT, 91che first introduces its main functions:

1. Intelligent voice interaction: Voice products are not uncommon on the market, such as smart voice speakers and smart voice lights. As the core highlight of the third-generation Honda CONNECT, the AI ​​smart assistant with powerful natural voice capabilities not only has a high degree of natural language understanding and quick response, which can achieve natural and smooth dialogue between people and cars and provide high-quality experience; it can also provide personalized customization services such as free naming according to user preferences, and realize dialogue in multiple dialects, making users full of fun during the journey.

Similarly, users can also use the Tmall Genie that matches the third-generation Honda CONNECT at home to keep abreast of the vehicle status, understand the vehicle's mileage in real time, and remotely start the vehicle, open the console, and perform other operations, creating a perfect system of interaction between "people, cars, and homes."

3. Remote control: After the user binds the vehicle through the Honda CONNECT APP on the mobile phone, he can use the mobile phone digital key to start the vehicle, confirm the vehicle and remotely control it. At the same time, it can also authorize the mobile phone digital key to family or friends so that they can also have control of the vehicle.

In addition, users can also check the status and location of the vehicle through their mobile phones, and realize functions such as quick vehicle search. Functions such as remote locking, unlocking, opening the trunk, and turning the air conditioner on and off are also integrated.

4. OTA online upgrade: With the continuous iteration and evolution of Smart AI technology and the update of the Internet ecosystem, the system can achieve continuous upgrades and enhancements of functions through cloud services and OTA (Over The Air), such as adding customized voice functions, real-time updates of map data, and providing more personalized exclusive services through in-depth learning of user behavior preferences, as well as constantly adding new applications and functions, etc., always providing customers with fresh experiences and truly understanding what you want.

Technology driven, everything for users

Honda's persistence and enterprising spirit in technology is the first impression it leaves on users. It is also because of this that companies like Honda can be reborn and thrive in the waves of technological progress.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the automotive industry is generally having a hard time. But even so, Honda has no plans to cut its technology investment. Honda's global CEO said: "In order to survive, the company will invest heavily in new generation technologies at all costs, and we do not intend to reduce the scale of investment."

In contrast, also in the post-epidemic era, General Motors urgently halted its Maven car-sharing service, and Ford Motor postponed the launch of its autonomous driving commercial service to 2022.

For brands, all R&D investments in technology will eventually pay off, whether it takes a long time or a short time, but if you don’t invest, the consequences will appear the next year. In 2020, Ford Motor lost $1.28 billion, the first loss since the 2008 financial crisis.

The reason why 91che inserted such a small topic here is that HiNet, the company responsible for formulating the automotive intelligent network technology and service business strategy centered on Honda CONNECT, only started formal operations on July 1 last year, and this time point was exactly one month after Honda announced its heavy investment in new generation technology.

Looking to the future, adapting to the new four modernizations

The popularization of intelligence, the maturity of car networking, and the goal of electrification are all accelerating. Under these circumstances, major automakers have begun to transform. Honda is one of the automakers that made early arrangements in this regard, launching the Honda CONNECT system in 2015.

With the changes in demand and the environment, the "new four modernizations" of electrification, networking, intelligence and sharing must not only keep pace with the times, but also be more in line with the actual needs of consumers. For car companies, these are actually a huge test.

Looking back at Honda’s development history over the past 70 years, it has always allowed users to enjoy the most cutting-edge technology. Its pursuit of technology is persistent, from which we can also see Honda’s highly forward-looking strategic vision.

The functions realized by the third-generation Honda CONNECT prove that Honda is indeed moving in this direction, because these functions are developed around "more interconnection", "more caring assistant" and "smarter growth", which are exactly the three points Honda proposed two years ago.

While striving to improve the driving experience for users, Honda is also working hard to reduce the unit time usage cost for users and better serve users.

Perhaps we are still a long way from the time node for the automobile to fully realize the "new four modernizations", but if we do not make early arrangements, it will undoubtedly be too late when the "new four modernizations" era truly arrives. In fact, as early as 2017, Honda formulated the 2030 vision and decided to take the lead in implementing relevant technical transformation measures in the Chinese market again.

In the new era of "software-defined cars", today's cars will gradually change from a single means of transportation to a mobile smart terminal, so the third-generation Honda CONNECT pays more attention to ICV (Intelligent Connected Vehicle) intelligent networking functions than the previous generation. In the future, Honda will continue to explore safety super-sensing, autonomous driving, shared travel and other aspects.

Why is it that whenever users have new demands, Honda can quickly seize the opportunity and create products that truly satisfy users with unique ideas? Because whether it is electrification technology, intelligence, or specific product updates and iterations, Honda's development route decisions actually follow the same logic: creating value for users. And this is also the true value of the third-generation Honda CONNECT - bringing users a smarter travel experience.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.