Honda R&D Creating New Value In The U.S.

Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) is responsible for creating advanced products and technologies that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers. Established in Southern California as Honda Research California in 1975 to conduct local market research and design, HRA today has the capability of "complete product creation" – developing all-new vehicles starting from market and technology research and design-styling through engineering design, prototype fabrication and testing, local parts procurement, and support for mass production preparation. With major facilities in California, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, HRA is engaged in the development and testing of Honda and Acura automobiles, and Honda power sports and power equipment products, and is also taking a leading role in the advancement of leading-edge safety and environmental technologies.

Product Research & Development

• From market and technology research to styling, engineering design, fabrication and testing to local parts procurement, Honda R&D Americas is helping create new value for Honda customers through innovation in the development of new Honda and Acura products.
• More than one-third (8 of 21) of the model-year 2011 Honda and Acura models sold in America and two-thirds (6 of 8) light truck models were researched, designed and developed in America. These include innovative and trend-setting products such as the Acura MDX, TL ZDX, and the Honda Pilot, Odyssey, Element, and Ridgeline truck and 8th-generation Civic Coupe and Coupe Si.
• The latest example of Honda's ability to develop products and technologies from scratch in America is the 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan, the first U.S.-designed and developed Honda minivan and the highest sales volume model to be developed locally. The 2011 Odyssey is also the first minivan to be awarded a 5-star rating in each seating position of all three crash tests, each crash-test category, and the Overall Vehicle Score under the federal government's newly modified New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Product Styling Design

• Honda R&D Americas' Los Angeles Center and three California-based design studios are responsible for market research, concept development and styling for Honda and Acura products.
• The Honda Design Studio (part of the Los Angeles Center) is responsible for the market research, concept development and styling design of Honda-brand automobiles, light trucks, and motorcycles.
• The Acura Design Studio in Torrance is responsible for the market research, concept development and styling design of Acura automobiles and light trucks.
• The Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena is responsible for creating future design concepts for Honda and Acura products and works closely with leading design schools. The studio developed the FC Sport fuel cell electric vehicle concept (2008) and the P-NUT urban commuter concept (2009) – each showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Environmental Technology Development

• In addition to its work on new vehicle design and development, Honda R&D Americas is engaged in programs to advance alternative-fuel technologies including natural gas and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
  • Supporting the development and deployment of the limited production FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle, launched in July 2008 with the start of leasing to selected customers in Southern California.
  • Development and operation of a prototype Honda Solar Hydrogen Station utilizing Honda-developed thin-film solar cells. HRA began operating a next-generation system at its Torrance, California, headquarters in January 2010. The new system is able to provide hydrogen for daily commuting in a fuel cell vehicle (10,000 miles per year) via an 8-hour overnight fill without the need for a compressor, reducing system cost, complexity and size.
  • Support of Honda's Electric Vehicle Demonstration program involving the advanced market deployment of the Honda Fit EV electric vehicle and Honda's dual motor plug-in hybrid technology with program partners City of Torrance (California), Stanford University and Google.
  • Collaborative research of the Civic GX natural gas vehicle's environmental benefits and customer usage, to support the sales and marketing of natural gas-powered vehicles and the expansion of refueling infrastructure to help support retail vehicle sales.

Safety Technology Research and Development

• Honda R&D Americas is also making significant contributions to Honda's safety leadership.
• The HRA Ohio Center includes an Automotive Safety Research Facility that houses one of the world's highest resolution crash test barriers and the world's first pitching crash test simulation sled. This facility is responsible for the development and testing of nearly all safety systems on Honda's U.S.-developed vehicles.

Major North American R&D Facilities
Honda operates 14 major R&D facilities in North America. Among them: