Honda builds rather more than automobiles and vehicles — energy tools, photo voltaic cells, industrial robotics, different gasoline engines and even plane are all a part of the corporate’s manufacturing capability. On Thursday, Honda introduced that it’s working to additional increase its manufacturing portfolio to incorporate Avatar-style distant telepresence robots and electrical VTOLs for inter- and intracity commutes earlier than turning its ambitions to constructing a fuel-cell pushed energy technology system for the lunar floor. 

For its eVTOL, Honda plans to leverage not solely the lithium battery expertise it is developed for its EV and PHEV automobiles but in addition a fuel turbine hybrid energy unit to provide the long run plane sufficient vary to deal with regional inter-city flights as properly. Honda foresees air taxis as a ubiquitous a part of tomorrow’s transportation panorama, seamlessly integrating with each autonomous floor automobiles and conventional airliners (although they might quickly be flown by robots as properly). Obviously, this system remains to be very a lot within the early analysis part and can doubtless stay so till a minimum of the second half of this decade. The firm anticipates having prototype models accessible for testing and certification by the 2030s and a full industrial rollout someday round 2040. 

Honda may have loads of competitors if and when it does get its eVTOLs off the bottom. Cadillac confirmed off its single-seater aircar earlier this yr, whereas Joby (in partnership with NASA) already has full-scale mockups flying. In June, Slovakian transportation startup, Klein Vision, flew from Nitra and to the Bratislava airport in its inaugural inter-city flight — after which drove dwelling after the occasion. But constructing a fleet of flying taxis is not any simple feat — simply ask Bell helicopters — and we’re positive to see extra firms drop out of the sector earlier than eVTOLs develop into commonplace.

Honda reps additionally mentioned the corporate’s future robotics aspirations throughout a media briefing on Wednesday. The firm envisions a future the place individuals are unencumbered by area and time, the place telepresence robots have visible and tactile acuity rivalling that of people. Rather than hopping on a airplane to examine distant manufacturing unit flooring or attend product demonstrations in particular person, tomorrow’s staff could merely don VR headsets and step into the physique of an on-site humanoid robotic. 

The firm introduced that it desires its Avatar Robot — a newly refined iteration of the Asimo (above) — put into sensible use within the 2030s and can conduct expertise demonstration testing by the tip of Q1, 2024 with a view to meet that purpose. But earlier than that occurs Honda reps famous that the corporate has work to do downsizing the robotic’s hand {hardware} and enhancing its greedy dexterity.

Honda additionally has massive plans for its area ventures together with engaged on methods to adapt its current gasoline cell and high differential pressure water electrolysis applied sciences to work on the lunar floor as a part of a circulative renewable vitality system.

This system would use electrical energy gathered from renewable vitality sources (like photo voltaic) to interrupt the molecular bonds of liquid water, ensuing hydrogen and oxygen. Those two components would then be run via Honda’s gasoline cell to generate each electrical energy and provide the lunar habitats with oxygen for respiration and hydrogen for rocket gasoline. 

The firm additionally hopes to make the most of the more-nimble Avatar arms its creating as manipulators on a fleet of distant managed lunar rovers which is able to carry out duties on the lunar floor somewhat than topic astronauts to the moon’s many risks. Honda has partnered with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and began joint research into each of those techniques in June.