2019 Honda Passport test drive
The 2019 Honda Passport is the brand's most adventurous SUV, offering some off-road chops and the looks to go with them. Fox News Autos editor Gary Gastelu heads off the beaten path to see what it can do.
Honda may be getting into the babysitting business.
(Honda)
The automaker has designed a robot to help kids safely cross the street.
The cute contraption is called Ropot and can be attached to a backpack shoulder strap, where it sits like a pirate’s pet parrot.
(Honda)
The device is equipped with GPS tracker and can be programmed with the locations of street crossings, where it buzzes and vibrates to remind the child to look before crossing.
It also has a motion-detection sensor that can spot approaching cars and set off an alert.
An app is envisioned that would allow a parent to monitor the location of their child and receive a notification upon their arrival at school or another programmed destination.
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The idea was hatched by a muffler engineer and developed by a team that included people who worked on the Honda Sensing suite of driver aids, which includes vehicle- and pedestrian-detection technology. It’s aimed at elementary school children, with data in Japan showing that children aged 6-8 are most likely to be involved in a traffic accident while walking.
(Honda)
Honda doesn’t have plans to put Ropot into production yet but is continuing to refine the device.