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AI-Packed Honda Concept Is Ready for Autonomous Ride Shares

The NeuV's artificial intelligence can also detect the emotions behind your driving choices.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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LAS VEGAS—Honda today gave CES attendees a look at a new autonomous vehicle concept packed with artificial intelligence.

CES 2017 BugThe NeuV, or New Electric Urban Vehicle, is a 2-seater that looks kind of like a Mini with doors that shift up 90 degrees. Given that private vehicles today sit idle 96 percent of the time, Honda thinks the NeuV could "function autonomously as a ridesharing vehicle" and earn you some extra cash, said Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, President of Global Research and Development. The concept car could also sell energy back to the electrical grid during times of high demand when it's not in use.

The NeuV also has a bunch of cool artificial intelligence features: it can detect the emotions behind your driving choices, then make new recommendations based on your past decisions. It can also check on how you're feeling; if it senses that you're blue it may suggest upbeat music.

Honda NeuV

"Our goal is to create something new that advances mobility and makes people's lives better," Frank Paluch, president of Honda R&D Americas, said on stage here.

The auto maker also showed off a self-balancing motorcycle. Matsumoto said the company created the motorcycle to "give people joy of riding, while greatly reducing the possibility of falling over" while it's at rest.

Self-Balancing Motorcyle

This idea isn't unheard of, but Honda has a different approach. Self-balancing motorcycles from other companies stay upright with the help of gyroscopes, which Honda said can add a lot of weight to the vehicle and change the riding experience. Honda's Riding Assist motorcycle, on the other hand, leverages robotics technology the company originally developed for its UNI-CUB electric scooter to avoid falling over.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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