Honda Motor has announced further investment in Helm.ai, the US-based autonomous driving software provider.

The investment amount remains undisclosed.

The funds will be used to develop end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving (AD) and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

Honda Motor operating executive and head of SDV Business Development Unit Mahito Shikama stated: “Through collaboration with Helm.ai, we will accelerate the development of AI technologies that enhance the practicality of our next-generation AD/ADAS, delivering mobility experiences that will offer surprise and inspiration to our customers.”

Set up in November 2016, Helm.ai has collaborated with Honda since 2019 under the Japanese automaker's worldwide open innovation scheme, Honda Xcelerator.

Honda's inaugural funding in 2022 ramped up their joint work, fast-tracking the creation of tools that fuse the US firm’s AI solutions with Honda's engineering capabilities.

The companies sealed a long-term development deal this July to advance next-generation AD/ADAS via E2E AI, managing all aspects from detecting the environment to planning actions and executing vehicle controls.

The latest funding will cement their alliance in keeping with the pact's focus.

Honda will tap Helm.ai's Deep Teaching approach and generative AI to speed up next-generation ADAS rollout.

The technology offers comprehensive support for drivers – handling tasks like acceleration and steering – over trips on motorways or local streets.

The automaker plans to integrate this enhanced ADAS into a wide array of electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) lines set for release in North America and Japan from 2027.

Helm.ai CEO Vladislav Voroninski said: “By combining Honda engineering expertise with Helm.ai’s modularised end-to-end AI software and proprietary Deep Teaching technology, we are accelerating the development of next-generation AD/ADAS software. Together, we aim to deliver highly reliable, production-ready solutions that will accelerate the deployment of Honda next-generation AD/ADAS systems worldwide.”

Looking ahead, Honda will press on with building its proprietary next-generation AD/ADAS using E2E AI and similar technologies.

It targets rapid deployment of robust autonomous features to global buyers, boosting efforts to reach zero road deaths in crashes with Honda motorcycles and cars.