Student leaders participate in road safety awareness program by Honda Cars PH

MANILA: Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) recently launched the Road Safety and Honda Sensing Experience for Students program in collaboration with AIESEC in the Philippines, an international organization of student leaders, as part of its commitment to achieving “Safety for Everyone.”

22 students from seven colleges and universities around the country who are members of the prestigious organization of youth leaders demonstrated their passion for sustainability by actively participating in the learning session on road safety that took place at the HCPI headquarters in Santa Rosa, Laguna on October 8. The program's objective is to raise awareness of and appreciation for road safety among young drivers. It does this by showcasing, through an actual driving experience, how cutting-edge safety systems like the Honda Sensing genuinely contribute to that goal.

Road safety has always been a global and national priority. According to data issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, traffic accidents claim the lives of 1.35 million people each year. The Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System recorded 65,032 road accidents in 2020, with 337 deaths. Though the lockdowns have substantially reduced the number of accidents, HCPI aims to make roads even safer.

Honda's commitment to “Safety for Everyone” applies to all other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, riders, and other vehicles, in addition to the needs of drivers and passengers. Therefore, efforts are being made to improve safety from product, systems, and educational perspectives.

In his opening remarks, HCPI President Masahiko Nakamura said, “Honda wants to make our roads safer for you, our next generation, and for everyone we share the road with. This is one of the ways we are working to contribute to the development of society. With our collective effort, we can be more effective in preventing traffic accidents and injuries. I am grateful that you are taking part in this global campaign on road safety.”

The program covered Honda's strategy for sustainability, highlighting important themes and projects and their contribution to the sustainable development goals, as stated in Honda's Integrated Report, which was issued on September 30. Regarding the direction of the global environment, Honda is striving toward the full electrification of vehicles by 2040 in order to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and business operations by 2050. In terms of safety, there should be no fatal vehicular accidents involving Honda vehicles or motorcycles by 2050, according to the global target. Everyone will have access to programs for road safety education by 2030, which is one of the interim goals to achieve the ambitious target.

The program had a very engaging discussion of traffic rules and regulations, penalties for violating them, and common misconceptions, as well as the most appropriate driving habits for young and new drivers. Pre-drive inspections, defensive driving, and avoiding distractions are just a few of the many useful tips shared during the learning session. The first motorcycle riding school in the Philippines to also adopt training programs for vehicles and trucks is the Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC), which was founded in 2008 and is situated in Bicutan, Parañaque. HCPI and HSDC have been working together to promote road safety through various programs.

The participants got a chance to experience the latest version of Honda Sensing through the all-new Civic and all-new HR-V. Both vehicles use a camera with a wider field of view in tandem with upgraded software to enable better vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, and road marking recognition. For proper guidance and safety while the student participants test out the Honda Sensing safety features along a route planned for the learning session, each vehicle used for the actual drive was accompanied by an HCPI-certified driving instructor.

“By applying what we have learned today, we will be able to make our roads safer for our young drivers and all road users. With the example of our own driving, we can reach more people, influence them to also observe safe driving habits, and help spread a better appreciation for road safety,” HCPI Sales General Manager Atty. Louie Soriano stated.

Honda was one of the first car brands in the Philippines to offer a suite of driver-assist safety features known as Honda Sensing. In 2015, the Honda Legend was launched in the country and it quickly became a symbol of luxury, comfort, and safety, thanks to the inclusion of Honda Sensing. After the Legend, HCPI rolled out the third-generation Honda Pilot in 2016, which also came with Honda Sensing.

By equipping more models with Honda Sensing, HCPI has stayed true to its vision of “Safety for Everyone.” The launch of the 11th-generation Civic last November also introduced the latest version of Honda Sensing, which uses a monocular camera instead of radar. Its upgraded camera system has improved recognition and can now calculate the distance of the car or obstruction ahead. The compact sedan now has access to cutting-edge safety features such as collision mitigation braking system (CMBS), adaptive cruise control (ACC) with low-speed follow (LSF), lane keeping assist system (LKAS), road departure mitigation system (RDM) with lane departure warning (LDW), auto high-beam (AHB), and lead car departure notification system (LCDN).

“Safety for Everyone” is the cornerstone of technologies and educational initiatives on safety that will contribute to the welfare of drivers, passengers, riders, and pedestrians, allowing everyone to safely share the roads.

Photo from Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.

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