Technology & Environment

Toward Leadership in Comprehensive Automobile Manufacturing

Honda Automobile (Thailand) manufacturing plant in Ayudhya province is one of the world's most advanced facilities.
It currently rolls out five principal models for sale in Thailand and abroad -- namely, Jazz, City, Civic, Accord and CR-V. Continual investment
expansion, product R&D, and production technology development under the auspice of Honda Engineering ASEAN, which develops
and manufacture machine tools and molds, not to mention the founding of Honda's own parts molding plant , new plastic molding plant and cylinder
sleeve production facility, and expansion of engine production in Thailand, have propelled Honda's production facilities here to the enviable
status of the world's most comprehensive car production base.

And thanks to the introduction of an intelligent production system and application of robotic arms to the various production stages, Honda
manufacturing plant has become highly flexible. With an annual maximum capacity of 120,000 units, it currently can roll out several models
from the very same assembly line, thus reducing production time and costs, while sharpening its competitive edge.

Safety Technology To help avoid an accident before it occurs and to help protect people while it occurs, Honda continually develops systems that will provide greater safety for everyone concerned. Honda continues to advance in its research, development and application of a unique G-force Control ( G-CON ) technology to help reduce injuries by controlling the impact-energy of a collision (G). One area of research is crash compatibility, which investigates collisions between vehicles of different size, structure and hardness. This technology both increases self-protection and reduces impact severity on other vehicles in a collision. Other advanced safety technologies developed by Honda include: i-SRS intelligent airbag system – a dual-stage, dual-threshold airbags that utilize both crash severity and seat belt use to optimize airbag deployment; state-of-the-art Traction Control System (TCS) – a computer-controlled and driver-selectable, TC mechanism that improves handling, stability and traction at all speeds and with all types of low-grip road conditions; Drive-By-Wire (DBW) -- an electronic throttle control system; Anti-lock Breaking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) system that electronically controls front/rear brake pressure distribution according to front/rear weight distribution ; Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system. In regard to pedestrian safety and in keeping with Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' concept, future Honda models will also incorporate Honda's latest thinking in pedestrian-friendly body design. New models will take advantage of industry-leading pedestrian safety research conducted at Honda's state-of-the-art crash test facility in Tochigi , Japan . Last but not least is Honda's Real-world crash test facility -- the omni-directional vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility at the Tochigi R&D, and the world's first indoor all-weather facility of its type

Environmental Management

Honda realizes how we operate in our daily business is the purest expression of our environmental commitment. Accordingly, Honda strives to reduce the environmental impacts at all stages of its activities. We actively encourage service centers, dealers, suppliers and associates to implement environment management systems and to help recycle End of Life vehicles, such as waste management and reduced emissions programs. During auto servicing, instead of allowing air conditioning gases to dissipate into the air and cause harm to the environment, Honda has helped build a recovery system. Refrigerant gases are captured and stored, and later reused in air-conditioning units.

Numerous initiatives have been introduced with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and End of Life Vehicle disposal specifically in mind. Honda is the first automotive company to recycle automobile bumpers. Currently, we use recyclable plastic pellets to make door rods and knobs, and also plan to use them to make mudguards and undercarriage linings in the future.

Additionally, end-of-life products such as scrapped tires, used oils and lubricants are collected by the ton from Honda service centers and utilized as fuel in the production of cement. This method enables efficient and safe disposal of combustible waste products, and at the same time reduces the consumption of fossil fuels.

Green Factory The “Green Factory” concept grows out of Honda's overall corporate policy requiring its manufacturing facilities worldwide to implement internationally recognized environmental management systems and to effectively manage energy and other resources. Putting this concept into practice, HATC focuses on 6 activities: Eliminate hazardous waste that comes out of the manufacturing facilities. Effective management of energy and natural resources to maximize their potential benefits. Continual development and application of effective environment management system. Pursue activities that contribute to a healthy coexistence with local communities. Suitably improve the working environment. Encourage parts manufacturers to participate in Honda's Green programs. Honda's “Green Factory” program has been successful from the very start in its effort to help create a more agreeable environment for the society, including energy conservation and maximum utilization of all natural resources. As a result, Honda has been awarded an ISO14001 certificate for its excellent environmental management system. In addition, it reflects our success in fulfilling the “Made by Global Honda” policy.