1 - Why do this type of new vehicle, what is intuitive control?

I see these types of vehicles, lean machines and Intuitive controlled vehicles as potential successes of the future, that’s why I did this project.

The way a leaning machine operates is so logical and it is strange that this type of vehicle have not yet got its breakthrough. I am convinced the time will come when these vehicles will do a success on the market and then my project could work as inspiration for Honda and other manufactures.

A leaning machine gives the rider a much more intense driving experience as it interacts better with the driver, it lower the center of mass witch result in better friction during turns it also angels the vehicle in an natural way against center of gravity. The Honda Hermes also ads another dimension to the leaning function as it gradually lover the driver to a more horizontal position as he or she speeds up.

Intuitive controlled vehicles have been around for a long time. I would say a motorcycle is an intuitive vehicle as the driver interacts with his body to operate it. Sport equipment is another example of great intuitive controlled products. Skiing, hang gliding and surfing are some examples from the field of sports.

My interpretation of intuitive controlled vehicle is when the vehicle logical response to the actions of the driver, the more integration between man and machine the more Intuitive vehicle.

What has revolutionized intuitive controlled vehicles is the Segway Human Transporter. Segway is a new type of vehicle that lets the body movements get registered by the vehicle which give instant response so that it feels natural. You could say that the Hermes is a similar type of intuitive vehicle as the Segway.

If you take intuitive controls one step further into the future I could see vehicles operated by eye movement or simply by thinking, the field has great potential.

2 - Why is Honda Hermes an ecological vehicle?

An ecological vehicle is not a V8 powered 1500kg vehicle that transports one person.

Honda Hermes is an ecological vehicle because it can use a fuel cell power source without loosing to much experience this thanks to the extreme body position and pivoted motion.

A fuel cell power source is one of many new technologies that could help replace the existing gasoline engines. The fuel cell technology has been around for over a century but it is in recent years it has becoming real interesting. Some conceptual projects that have inspired this project are the Aprillia enjoy and GM´s Autonomy.

You would still need to get hydrogen gas from the planet and maybe it is not a solution for all future vehicles as the hydrogen resource is limited but with emission of purely water it is truly worth a try.

3 – How can Honda Hermes be a safe vehicle?

When you discuss safety you can talk about two different types, active and passive. Passive safety is for example impact zones on cars, built in air bags and whiplash compensating seats. Active safety could be described more as staying out of an accident, for example good manoeuvrability, anti spin system etc.

Honda Hermes is a typical vehicle that fits the active safety profile. Compared with a motorcycle Hermes has a three wheel base which makes it stable even at low speeds. The intuitive control could help preventing accidents. Hermes operates in much lower speeds than a normal motorcycle and that is also the main reason why it is safer.

That the vehicle looks dangerous with its driver exposed in a horizontal head first position just ads to the thrill of the ride. Off course if you crash head first into a wall it’s not a very safe situation. Honda Hermes is a safe vehicle because it operates in lower speeds and it stays out of accidents.

4 – How much would the vehicle cost?

Honda Hermes is a new type of vehicle and for the moment one of a kind. To price a conceptual product like this is very hard because it would need so much development work. If you look at cars today they are priced widely to fit different target groups. The idea with Hermes is that it should be a quality product priced in relation to that my guess more than a motorcycle less than a car.

5 – What age group does the vehicle target?

It is to 75% a driving experience machine and to 25% a transportation device. Hermes is not target toward a special age group but towards people in search for new thrilling experiences. The idea is that the vehicle will be operated at public roads so it would need some kind of driving licence and age limit just like motorcycles today.

6 – What makes Honda Hermes unique from other conceptual vehicle?

The idea from the very beginning was to create a driving experience machine with low impact on the environment and a product that would fit the Honda brand. Early in the project I worked out from a more extreme body position to get experience even at lower speeds. As the project evolved fields like intuitive control, fuel cell power source and wing equipped helmet where explored.

What is unique with Honda Hermes is that it delivers driving experience within the speed limits.

/ Tommy