Honda’s AC-X concept practically drives itself — really

By Amir Iliaifar November 30, 2011

Another creation from the labs over at Honda R&D, the Honda AC-X, which stands for Advanced Cruiser eXperience, is a seemingly Tron-inspired concept that operates as a plug-in hybrid electric four-seater and is another example of Honda’s ambition to bring some zest and creativity into possible future production cars.

And future is the key word here, while the AC-X is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors, it also comes with ambitious future-thinking technology. Most notable among this technology would be its autonomous control, dubbed “Automatic Drive Mode Support”, which essentially tucks away the control yoke (many of Honda’s new concepts feature a yoke design instead of a traditional wheel) into the console dash, reclines the front seat and brings forth an ottoman for the driver’s legs to rest upon while auto navigating to its final destination.

Perhaps less ambitious are the numbers the AC-X produces. The plug-in hybrid electric is able to achieve an EV-only cruising range of 50 kilometer, about 31 miles, and a maximum electric-only top speed of 100 kph, roughly 62 mph.

While we certainly like the design and possible future technology the AC-X could carry, we hope we wont actually have to wait too long before Honda can actually implement some of these features into a real production car.

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Associate Automotive Section Editor for Digital Trends, Amir Iliaifar covers the ever increasing cross-section between tech…

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EVs are on the rise. With awesome new models finally rolling out and charging networks rapidly expanding, it feels like we're at the tipping point of electric cars being as mainstream as non-electric vehicles. But with a whole new type of vehicle come new challenges. One challenge is adapting to charging times. Another is paying closer to attention to range. And another, as some drivers are finding out, has to do with electric car warranties.

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