Honda Motor Co. unveiled a luxury sedan Wednesday equipped with what the carmaker boasts as the world's first precrash safety system using automatic braking and radar.
The collision mitigation brake system is installed in revamped Inspire models that debut on the domestic market Thursday.
The system emits audio and visual alert signals, tightens the front seat belts and partially applies the breaks to prompt drivers into taking crash-avoidance action when a built-in radar judges a collision to be imminent, Honda said.
In the event a collision is unavoidable, the seat belts are further tightened and the brakes are strongly applied.
Honda hopes 15 percent of Inspire buyers opt for the crash-avoidance package, said Manabu Nishimae, a Honda executive in charge of domestic vehicles sales. The model's monthly sales target is set at 2,000 units.
The new Inspire, which comes with an engine displacement of 3,000cc, is also the first model in its class to be accredited as an ultra-low emission vehicle, which can cut exhaust gas emissions by 75 percent from the 2000 level set by government regulations.
The car is priced at 2.7 million yen to 3.5 million yen.
