Honda Unveils New EVs, Reveals More on Autonomous Future

Visitors to CES got a closer look at Honda’s high-tech future, as it revealed prototypes of two of its forthcoming 0 Series electric production cars – plus provided more detail on its plans for autonomous driving.

The Japanese automaker’s 0 Saloon and 0 SUV will be introduced to global markets next year, and mark a step forward from the Saloon and Space-Hub concepts that debuted at the Las Vegas show in 2024.

Both will feature Honda’s new operating system, ASIMO OS, which will help control automated driving functionality and the in-vehicle infotainment systems.

The 0 Saloon, which will be the flagship of the new EV line-up, maintains the low height and sporty styling that caused a stir among CES showgoers last year. It will be offered in North America first, before going on sale in Japan and Europe, most likely in the second half of 2026.

Credit: Honda

However, it will be beaten to the market by the 0 SUV, which delivers on the huge interior space promised by last year’s concept but also promises advanced chassis control thanks to 3D gyro sensors – tech that has partially been developed via Honda’s work in robotics – which enable what the firm describes as “dynamics at the will of the driver on various surfaces."

Credit: Honda

The 0 SUV will be in North American showrooms in the first half of next year, with Japan and Europe following afterwards.

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The operating system takes its name from the company’s famous humanoid robot, ASIMO, which became a fixture at motor shows, in its various evolutions, from 2000 onwards until being retired from service in 2022.

However, in the years since Honda has continued to work on its robotics technologies, including “those that recognize external environments and autonomous behavior control.” As such, the ASIMO OS will have a key role in delivering autonomous capability for the 0 Series models – something the automaker is keen to deliver, having been the first to offer Level 3 “eyes-off driving” in a production car way back in 2021, in a Legend saloon available in limited numbers in Japan.

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The robotics tech will combine with Honda’s own advanced intelligence tech, which blends the unsupervised learning capability of California’s Helm.ai with the behavior models of experienced drivers. This, says, Honda, enables the AI to learn with smaller amounts of data, while expanding the range of scenarios where automation is available.

Initially, 0 Series models will come with “eyes-off” capability in congestion on highways, but the functionality will be evolved through over-the-air updates, with Honda claiming it will eventually become the first automaker to “expand the application of eyes-off functions to all driving situations”.

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Honda also announced at CES that it has agreed a deal with Tokyo company Renesas to supply a high-performance system-on-a-chip for use in its 0 Series range, which will ultimately comprise seven models.