Revolutionizing Vehicle Development: Honda's Use of Virtual Reality Technology to Shape the Future of Mobility

Honda uses VR technology to design future vehicles

Honda is taking its design process to the next level by incorporating advanced virtual reality (VR) technology to develop future vehicles, including the upcoming full-electric 2024 Honda Prologue and the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport. These models will soon be available at Central Illinois Honda Dealers, located in Peoria Illinois and nearby locations.

Using VR to bridge the gap during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions made it difficult for Honda's designers to collaborate with engineers on the design of the Prologue. However, the styling team in the Honda Design Studio in Los Angeles found a solution by accelerating the use of VR to bridge the divide among its global design and development teams.

Collaborating through VR environments

Utilizing VR, the LA-based design team collaborated with various engineering and design groups through VR environments. This enabled global design teams to receive immediate feedback and apply refinements to the clay modeling, color, material, and finishes related to the EV model. As a result, Prologue design development remained on track and advanced the team's capabilities and the role of VR design moving forward.

Clay modeling and VR technology

Honda Prologue was crucial for entirely using VR in a data-led design process, with clay modeling as the verification tool, which they will carry forward into developing other Honda products. While the exterior of the Prologue was designed using traditional clay modeling, the interior design execution was mainly carried out by VR and AR technology. These virtual methods helped transform the design process, provided visualization of unlimited color and materials applications, improved collaboration, and allowed quicker feedback.

Enhancing product appeal and quality

Honda is continuously exploring the technical capabilities of VR and AR in their development centers worldwide for cross-collaboration to enhance their products' appeal and quality further. With the help of VR technology, Honda is improving its design process and creating better customer outcomes.

Learn More From Your Central Illinois Honda Dealers.

The Honda design team has been exploring, testing, and validating VR technology for the past six years to find new, more efficient means to create better products. This advanced work enabled the team to have the right skills, equipment, and artistic ability when the need arose during the COVID pandemic. "We don't want to lose emotion and the human touch to Honda design so we won't pursue a purely digital approach, but we are excited about the Honda products that will be coming to customers in the future by leveraging VR technology," added Mathieu. To learn more about how Honda leverages VR technology in the design process and about our Honda models in Illinois, visit your local Central Illinois Honda Dealers today!