New tech two years away for Honda Oz range?

Most lane departure warning systems are just that. They transmit vibrations through the wheel or sound audible alarms if the car begins to deviate from within the lane.

Honda in Europe has a system that goes beyond warning drivers. It's called Lane Keep Assist and it actively steers the car back into the lane if the driver is distracted or fatigued -- and it will alert the driver with an audible chime and a flashing icon in the instrument binnacle.

The Carsales Network had an opportunity to try out this system on a Frankfurt autobahn and we can testify that it works very well. Once the system is enabled it shows a freeway icon in the instrument binnacle. White delineating lines indicate it recognises the lane the car is in and will hold it there. We tried the system on a gentle left-hand bend on the freeway.

As the car entered the bend and the driver failed to turn the wheel, the system applied light torque (up to no more than 4Nm) and guided the car through the bend. With hands still lightly holding the wheel, the sensation of the wheel turning through one's hands was curious, but impressive.

The system will not fight the driver if the driver uses the car's indicators when changing lanes and nor does the system take the job of driving the car out of the driver's hands. It's intended to be a support mechanism only, hence the name: Lane Keep Assist. If there's no driver input after five seconds, the system will disable itself, so it's no road-going autopilot. And it's not intended to be, says Honda.

Lindsay Smalley, Senior Director for Honda Australia told the Carsales Network that this system and Adaptive Cruise Control are two convenience/safety features to be introduced to the Australian market in future.

"Those types of more advanced technologies are certainly on the drawing board, but I can't comment on when they'll be introduced..."

"Normally, something of that significance would require a full model change, so within the full model change cycle, we'd be very keen to introduce... those technologies.

"At some point in the future, I'm sure they'll be here."

Based on roughly four-year model cycles, we'd expect to see these new features on the next Accord Euro, possibly around 2012 or a little later -- provided the local Honda R&D blokes can make the system work with Australia's poorly maintained country roads.

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