Honda develops new AI platform, wants humans and machines to better interact

Honda is now publicly demonstrating its own artificial intelligence platform which relies on the company's cooperative intelligence efforts. Honda CI is designed to help humans and robots coexist in a productive manner. An autonomous short-distance people mover/taxi type model was also shown off, with development continuing into 2023.

Honda has several different potential use cases for Honda CI, which include robots, an autonomous transportation vehicle, and more. It remains to be seen if any of these services will make it to actual real-world use, but it's neat to see automakers branching out.

The WaPOCHI electric micro-mobility robot can follow designated users, with the person identified based on palm vein authentication - and can learn and recognize distinctive physical features of each user. Although this might seem overly creepy, the operator is able to go about daily tasks while the robot is able to ferry items around for the user.

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The small WaPOCHI unit has multiple cameras mounted, which the AI uses to create a 3D view to autonomously be able to track the user.

Here is the Honda WaPOCHI in action:

The autonomous CiKoMa vehicle makes it possible for a user to get on and off whenever and wherever - and to move freely and directly wherever they want to. The passenger model will be able to autonomously drive but paired with a user-tracking understanding - and communication - so it's able to interact with the world around it. The user and the CiKoMa actively engage in dialogue so the AI has another tool to help identify who to pick up.

Testing will begin in spring 2023 for both solutions - the early stages of CiKoMa will rely on human staff members to ride along to ensure optimal safety and performance.

Automakers developing new vehicles now find easier transitions to launch products and services away from just auto sales. Honda previously promoted how AI's influence on automated driving utilizes anticipation, prediction, and cooperative driving, among other things. These same habits are suitable for autonomous robots now publicly used.