Honda's color-changing speedometer to drive out bad driving habits

So, you've a lead foot? What of it, right? Honda's hoping to make that bad little habit vanish by using the tried and true guilt trip method, or more specifically, the Ecological Drive Assist System. For starters, the technology's ECON Mode works with the CVT and engine to "support more fuel-efficient driving." The real kicker, however, is the color-based "guidance function" -- drive like a granny, your speedo lights up green, drive a little wilder, and things get a bit blue, and if you toss fuel economy to the wind and let 'er rip, expect a full-on blue screen and the voice of God to come thundering through your sound system instructing that those horses be held. The EDAS should appear in the automaker's Insight hybrid as early as Spring 2009, though there's no word if it'll be standard equipment on the rumored S3000.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 2:33PM]

I respect your wantingness to be "green," and wish I could join you in your quest, but I am currently unable to pedal the 50 miles a day I drive to and from work... especially in the mountains of New York state, while it's constantly snowing.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 5:02PM]

Dude, as much as I love bikes (weekend fun) it's just no good for cycling to work and back every day. I know I've done it before. And when it rains/snows it is not fun at all.

Car wins!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 12:36PM]

Why do they need to have the whole console turn a color? It would be way to distracting at night. My mom's 88' SL560 had a small guage that moved up and down (green to red) based on how hard you pressed the gas pedal. This would not be nearly as distracting. Try turning up the brightness all the way at night in a new civic and you will see what I mean, good luck keeping track of your lane.

[Powderfinger Posted Nov 26th 2008 12:54PM]

The fat chicks is funny. That just might work for males and females. It would at least work better than colors as if one is color blind who knows what you'll see. Regardless, it is likely that you know your going too fast anyway. You already have the speedometer. What would really work is the combination of the suggestion about using a GPS and a service to have the actual speed limit known to the car. Then, when you exceed it the outside of your car changes to the color that indicates speeding or shows fat people or whatever. Then cops wouldn't need a radar gun, they could just snap a photo of you and you would be "busted." Sweet!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 1:25PM]

what next?

color coded speed limit signs?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 1:35PM]

This is freaking awesome! As long as it comes with an OFF switch, I'm sold!

[sprintermatt Posted Nov 26th 2008 1:47PM]

OK, this was a mistake in the 80s when the digital dash on a Subaru Loyale had a little black bar that flashed when you were going over 55, I believe. The solution... electrical tape. I hope there's a way to disable nagging features... I would tend to lean toward a lack of lots of bright colors... I mean, a gree screen right below your vision of the road... would that possibly counter the red from a stoplight or brake lights long enough to cause accidents?

[miles4000 Posted Nov 26th 2008 2:23PM]

I remember my father's old Buick stationwagon (1975?) had a knob to set a buzzer to go off if you went over the speed that you set. I always thought it was a good idea to help prevent speeding tickets n save gas.

I now use my TomTom and set a top speed alarm.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 2:25PM]

What if you are blue/green color blind??? :)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 2:41PM]

already implemented in the camry hybrid!!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 8:03PM]

and the Lexus IS except that you determine when the colors change. I have mine set to change to orange at 80mph and red at 100mph.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 4:08PM]

I had that on my 59 buick green then yellow then red - so what didnt work then wont work now

[cout Peter Posted Nov 26th 2008 4:19PM]

YAAAY! Metric system FTW!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 8:56PM]

So if I go 150 down the interstate will the thing do the lightspeed effect from star Wars?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 26th 2008 11:39PM]

No big deal. My 1959 Olds had a speedometer that changed colors too. 0 to 35 was green; 36 to 70 was yellow and above that was red. It was a bar running underneath the numerals that was actually a rotating drum. Late in the Olds' life, the spring which controlled the drum broke and my brother and I used to have a ball getting the speedo to bounce.

As to gas mileage, at 27.9, who cared?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 27th 2008 1:14PM]

In India, a lot many vehicles have a colour coded strip that runs along the outer circumference of the speedometer which indicates the fuel efficiency. This serves the same purpose ( green good and red bad ).

[Someoneishere Posted Nov 30th 2008 10:30PM]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/11/honda-ecological-drive-assist-system01.jpg

At least there is a button to turn it off! :)

I love HONDA!