Honda vehicles could soon identify dangerous road conditions

Honda has announced an experimental program that will use its cars to gather data on dangerous road conditions. The system uses a combination of cameras and GPS to identify poorly visible lane markings, potholes, and other road hazards. Honda will then send the data to relevant authorities for improvement. 

The program hails from Honda Research Institute USA and will be the first to use connected vehicles to identify poor road conditions. Honda is using a fleet of cars for the experiment, but it has not specified which of its models are participating in the program. 

Presumably, Honda will utilize several models, like the Civic, Accord, and CR-V, to gather diverse information to make roads safer. The program will start in the state of Ohio in the US in 2022 before expanding to other states if successful.

Honda has also shared its strategies for the experimental program. It will make use of color codes to classify left and right lane lines. Green and yellow indicate good to average lane markings, red indicates markings that need repair, and grey means the absence of markings.

In addition, Honda will log coordinates and other relevant information, helping road operators come up with solutions to improve road conditions. Honda's research could eventually help countless drivers stay safe on the road. Could this program find its way to the Philippines? It's doubtful, but its use of cameras and GPS to identify lane markings could become a feature on its vehicles down the line. The Honda Sensing package would make a perfect fit for this type of technology.