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Honda nav concept replaces head unit with Android phone

The desire for better in-car tech without compromising safety is what led Drivemode co-founders Yo Koga and HK Ueda to create their auto-centric Android app. It presents a clutter-free UI specifically meant for driving. The single-button, no-look interface uses display-wide swipes and taps and presents audio cues to help keep your eyes on the road -- and not the glowing rectangle you have mounted to your dash. With over 400,000 downloads, the app has gotten the attention of not just drivers, but also major automakers, including Honda. The carmaker has partnered with Drivemode to create a concept vehicle that completely replaces the head unit with a phone. It's not just shoving an Android device into the dash either; the head unit is completely integrated with the car's controls. For instance, the buttons on the wheel that usually control the radio now control the app. Additionally, the backup and right-side blindspot cameras are now displayed on the phone too. Honda and Drivemode say this is still just a concept and potentially years away from actually happening. But it's part of a larger plan to build an app for automakers; a way to offer its software replacement for the traditional in-dash system. In the meantime, though, Drivemode is looking for other ways to make a bit safer. For instance, Ueda says the app will eventually support aftermarket Bluetooth backup and blindspot cameras. So, drivers can buy the cameras and mount them to their cars, allowing them to have an additional safety feature, even if their vehicle didn't have that option when purchased new. In particular, the Drivemode team sees an opportunity in lower-end vehicles that are less likely to come pre-installed with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The app replicates many of the features found in those systems which tend to be found in medium to high-end cars. For drivers who can't afford the trim levels that offer those smartphone-integrating options (or are are not looking to upgrade their whip), they can still enjoy a more integrated driving experience without weaving all over the road trying to launch Spotify. Unfortunately, the app is for Android only right now, but Drivemode is looking for additional funding to build an iOS version. Related Video: This piece by Roberto Baldwin originally appeared on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Auto News Honda android android auto nav

Honda accused of not reporting all airbag problems

The Takata airbag recall that has afflicted a number of automakers may have just taken a very bad turn for Honda, which has already recalled over one million vehicles. Clarence Ditlow and the Center for Auto Safety have accused the Japanese manufacturer of failing to report two "injury-and-death" incidents. To determine just what happened, the company has initiated a third-party audit.
According to Bloomberg, CAS claims Honda failed to report fatalities in 2009 and 2013, a point Honda doesn't seem to contest, indicating that it didn't report so-called "verbal claims."
"It is our understanding that some manufacturers choose to include these types of verbal claims, and that these constitute the majority of the injury-and-death claims that they report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration," the company told Bloomberg via email. "We believe this practice accounts for the vast majority of the difference between the total number of injury-and-death claims reported by Honda compared to certain other manufacturers."

Honda announces 2015 Pilot Special Edition

Honda doesn't have any exciting new mechanical or aesthetic changes for the 2015 Pilot eight-passenger crossover, but it is adding a new trim level to give families a compromise between the EX and EX-L models.
The new Special Edition trim is available on either the front-wheel or all-wheel drive versions of the Pilot, and it adds Pewter Gray aluminum wheels, a power moonroof, a rear seat entertainment DVD system and Sirius XM radio. Prices come to $33,950 for the two-wheel drive version, after the $830 destination charge, or $35,550 for all-wheel drive after destination.
Prices for the rest of the trims are up $200 over last year, and they all still come standard with remote entry, a rearview camera and Class III trailer hitch. Power is still provided by a 3.5-liter V6 with 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque with a five-speed automatic. Fuel economy is unchanged as expected with front-wheel drive models rated at 18 miles per gallon city, 25 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined, and four-wheel drive models make 1 mpg less at 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. Scroll down to read the official release.