Honda Connect vehicle telematics system launched in Malaysia – available on the City RS e:HEV this March

Honda Malaysia has officially launched the Honda Connect telematics system in Malaysia, which will first be available with the RS e:HEV variant of the latest City. With Honda Connect, owners will be able to access a variety of functions via a dedicated smartphone app available for both Android and iOS devices.

These functions are bundled into three separate categories – safety, security and convenience – and allow for owners to remain connected to their cars anywhere and anytime. Within the safety and security categories, there’s automatic collision detection, which provides immediate support to the driver via Honda Malaysia’s 24-hour roadside assist call centre in the event of an emergency.

Should an accident or airbag deployment in the car occur, a notification will be sent to the call centre and relevant emergency services will be dispatched to the incident site. A notification will also be sent to the Honda Connect app when a collision is detected, so owners are kept informed should they lend their car to another person.

The suite also includes security alarm detection, whereby any forceful entry into the car, be it through the doors, trunk or bonnet, will result in a notification being sent to both the owner and the call centre. This, along with the triggering of the vehicle alarm, are meant to reduce the possibility of car theft. On a related note, the find my car function in the app allows owners to more easily locate their vehicle on a map, useful in the event of actual theft or if you forgot where you parked.

Those who plan to hand the keys of their Honda to another driver will also be able to use the speed and geo-fencing alert functions, which notify the owner when the vehicle is being driven out of a preset driving radius or beyond a particular speed limit. Joining this is an emergency call function, so drivers can quickly reach important contacts in the event of an emergency.

On the convenience front, remote vehicle control allows owners to lock or unlock their car right from the app. With the support of the call centre, owners can also request to have their vehicle unlocked remotely if they accidentally left the car keys inside. Other remote functions include the ability to start or stop the car engine; switch on or off the air-conditioning; and turning on the lights to make the car easier to locate at night.

You can also check on the status of your car through the app’s vehicle dashboard, which shows the state of the door locks, battery voltage and airbags. The dashboard also provides access to driving behaviour and trip logs to track and record driving styles with driving data from the connected vehicle, with the ability to share them on social media.

Meanwhile, a service reminder is there to ensure owners are aware of all past service information and are reminded of future periodical maintenance, the latter accompanied by a parts list, estimated cost and a list of official Honda dealers to schedule a service appointment. The app will also remind you of insurance renewal and annual road tax deadline.

With telematics, Honda Connect also comes with remote diagnostic support, which can detect any issues with 11 main indicators (ABS, supplemental restraint system, brake system, engine malfunction, charging system, VSA, electric power steering system, lane keep assist system, adaptive cruise control, safety support and power system). Should there be any issues, a push notification will be sent to users, with the call centre ready to provide necessary support upon request.

“The technology within Honda Connect embodies Honda’s vision of value creation for mobility and people’s daily lives. Driven by the passion to share the ‘3 Joys of Honda’ through this intelligent and advanced technology, we seek to improve the daily lives of our customers with an innovative and advanced information platform that provides multiple benefits such as peace of mind, convenience and most importantly, fun!” said Toichi Ishiyama, Honda Malaysia managing director and CEO.

“This innovative technology is set to redefine safety, security and convenience for Honda car owners, allowing them to fully experience and enjoy their Honda car while enabling us to provide round-the-clock support to our valued customers,” he added.

For now, it’s just the City RS e:HEV that will receive the telematics system, and it isn’t known if other models will receive Honda Connect later on. Honda Malaysia also confirmed that existing models cannot be retrofitted with the system.

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