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Exhaustive studies were carried out to identify and eliminate the problems that might occur in the marketplace. Even though the cars were to be driven by different users in different ways, it would be impossible to predict every condition the vehicle would encounter. In other words, it was possible that problems could occur outside the context of what the design engineers had anticipated. To minimize that possibility, trial tests were conducted in various practical settings.
A series of "malicious tests" was devised, so named because the test conditions were set to simulate overly adverse situations that were unlikely to occur during normal use. For example, one test examined whether the steering function would work when the driver started the engine and turned the steering wheel without knowing that one of the rear wheels was caught in a ditch only as wide as the wheel's rim. Another test would determine whether the system would break down during operation if the car was used in a cold climate such as Hokkaido's with the rear wheels frozen under a mantle of snow. Numerous other scenarios were considered, during which all system functions were verified in detail.
The development team even held a number of local-adaptability tests in Europe, along with test drives for personnel at Honda's overseas offices. These helped identify problems during actual driving, as well as driver responses to them. This had all been designed to incorporate user feedback into solutions that would further enhance the system's performance. Of course, there were a few mishaps. During one test drive, a driver who was overly confident in the system approached a corner at excessively high speed and smashed right through the guardrail. Nevertheless, marks for the system were very high and every office in Europe gave it a "thumbs-up." The results couldn't have been more satisfying.
The world was now ready for another first. In April 1987, Honda's unique steering angle sensing 4WS debuted in the form of a stunning new, high-performance Prelude. The system had indeed opened doors to an entirely new perception of automotive possibility. |
