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A look inside Honda’s “Safety For Everyone” research and development operation

RAYMOND, Ohio—As part of its long-running “Safety for Everyone” campaign, Honda has established the audacious goal of what it calls a “zero-collision society.” But rather than making big claims about developing a fully-autonomous vehicle, which Honda hasnÂ’t done, the company is trying to chip away at the more than 37,000 vehicle-related fatalities that occurred in the U.S. in 2017 with a multi-pronged approach. Here in central Ohio, engineers are working with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to boost active safety systems like its HondaSensing suite of safety technology with old fashioned passive systems like structural steel frames or new airbag designs that protect passengers in a crash. Honda provided members of the press with a rare tour inside its Honda R&D Americas headquarters this week. Honda officials say that increasingly, safety — and specifically, third-party ratings from the likes of the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — figure into the top three factors consumers weigh when purchasing a vehicle. Honda and Acura have 10, 2019 models that have earned IIHSÂ’s Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ ratings, and all 15, 2019 model-year Honda and Acura vehicles that have undergone NHTSA crash testing have earned a 5-star overall rating. And Honda prides itself on its growing list of safety firsts, including the first upward-deploying front passenger airbag, in 1990 in the Acura Legend; first omni-directional crash-test facility, in 2000; and the first autonomous braking system, in the 2006 Acura RL. It hopes its new three-chamber airbag goes industry-wide and joins that list. “ItÂ’s part of our companyÂ’s culture,” said Art St. Cyr, business head unit and vice president of auto operations for American Honda Motor Co. “We have a philosophy at Honda that we want to be a company that society wants to exist. That means we have to protect our customers. ThatÂ’s part of the whole mantra of doing this.” Opened in 1984, the 1.6 million square-foot Honda R&D Americas facility, located in the countryside about 45 miles northwest of Columbus, employs around 1,600 people and is HondaÂ’s largest research-and-development facility outside of Japan. Its Advanced Safety Research facility opened in 2003.

Honda exec says US market near capacity, could hurt subprime buyers

Is there a point in the US auto industry where companies should start considering the welfare of their customers ahead of selling more cars? American Honda Executive Vice President of Sales John Mendel thinks that level exists, and we may be getting very close to it.
According to Automotive News, Mendel believes that finding more customers in the market could require pursuing subprime buyers and offering longer-term loans. However, he refuses to use those tactics. While selling models this way can improve things briefly, the strategies hurt resale prices and lower vehicle profits over time. The company won't do "stupid things in the short-term that damage the person who bought yesterday," he said to Automotive News. "It's a very, very short-term tactic especially in the subprime area."
American Honda, which combines the Acura and Honda brands, has seen market share decline from 9.7 percent to 9.1 percent through July 2014, according to Automotive News, and Autoblog's By the Numbers stats showed it posted falling sales in five of the seven months with data this year. Though, Mendel claims that was partially because the company focused on retail sales over fleets. The delays of the launches for the Honda Fit and Acura TLX likely didn't help either.

2021 Acura TLX revealed, finally looks like a credible luxury sports sedan

We've been given our first official glimpse into the brand-new 2021 Acura TLX sedan, and so far we like what we see. It's clear that Acura wants to be considered a brand that focuses on performance, boosting power with two turbocharged engine options and the return of the Type S variant after a decade-long absence. Acura stuck close to the well-received Type S concept when styling the new TLX, which means the sedan boasts crisp lines, aggressively creased sheetmetal and a low, wide stance. An angular grille is flanked by Acura's Jewel Eye headlights and Chicane LED running lights to create an expressive face, and similarly shaped taillights at the back end finish off a cohesive design. An A-Spec sport package adds darkened elements along with a unique set of 19-inch wheels and a rear spoiler. The 2021 Acura TLX Type S goes several steps past the A-Spec with a so-called Diamond Pentagon grille and larger side air intakes. A front splitter and rear diffuser join the requisite rear spoiler to round out the aero package. Quad exhaust tips and 20-inch wheels are also included as part of the package. But the big news is underhood, with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 serving as the headliner. Acura hasn't yet released power figures for the Type S, but promises it will be much more powerful than the outgoing 3.5-liter V6 with "a more than 50-percent increase in low-end torque."   Related: 2021 Acura TLX vs. luxury sedans: How they compare on paper   Standard TLX models will get a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. That's 66 hp and 98 lb-ft more than the previous naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine, and Acura says there are 123 additional lb-ft at 1,500 rpm. Both engines will send their ponies through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and Acura's fourth-generation torque vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system will be standard on the Type S and optional on other TLX models. Inside, all TLXs get a tech-rich cabin that features a centrally mounted 10.2-inch display and Acura's latest True Touchpad Interface. A 7-inch digital screen in the gauge cluster is standard, and a 10.5-inch head-up display is optional. Acura's Integrated Dynamics System is controlled via a prominent silver dial, and it now offers a customizable Individual mode.