Honda Motor extended its financial backing of California-based startup Helm.ai as the Japanese automaker races to deploy artificial intelligence-powered driving features in production vehicles. The company declined to disclose the investment amount.
The expanded partnership follows a July agreement between the two firms to develop end-to-end autonomous driving software that handles everything from road perception to vehicle control. Honda has worked with Helm.ai since 2019 and previously invested in 2022, gradually tightening the relationship.
Helm.ai’s technology relies on unsupervised machine learning, which allows AI systems to identify patterns without extensive manual data labeling. The startup’s Deep Teaching approach aims to reduce the massive data requirements typically associated with autonomous vehicle development.
Honda plans to integrate the new driver-assistance capabilities into electric and hybrid models launching in North America and Japan around 2027. The system would manage acceleration and steering across highways and surface roads, though the technology still requires regulatory approval before reaching consumers.
The investment reflects Honda’s broader ambition to eliminate traffic fatalities involving its vehicles by 2050. Yet the path remains uncertain, with autonomous driving companies facing mounting costs and regulatory hurdles. Competitors including Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automakers are simultaneously advancing their own systems, intensifying the race for Level 3 autonomy.
