Honda ends development of its bipedal Asimo robot

We've been enjoying Honda's Asimo (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) robot ever since Engadget existed, but now Honda has announced that this robot project is winding down. The technology behind Asimo isn't going away, however, as it will be put to use in other products, like the Walking Assist device we've seen or its self-balancing motorcycle.

The project hasn't seen any big updates since an autonomy-heavy revision in 2011, and without any future as a commercial product, company bosses are pulling the plug. Don't assume Honda is through with robotics and AI, however, the segment is one-third of its "2030 Vision" along with mobility and energy solutions.

According to Kyodo News, a company official said it has plans to develop more bipedal robots, although they might not bear the Asimo name. For an idea of what's next, just take a peek at the 3E (Empower, Experience, Empathy) robots Honda brought to CES 2018 a few months ago. Meanwhile, if you're in Japan then there are still a few places to catch a demo of Asimo and let it know it won't be forgotten (or, hopefully, disassembled).