Our Perspective: A Conversation on Safety: Technology Is Not Enough

March 18, 2025 by Honda

Brian Bautsch, director of North American Safety Strategy for American Honda, and MJ Foxley, safety strategy leader for American Honda, had a conversation about the Level 3 automated driving technology that will begin to introduce through Honda 0 Series electric vehicles (EV) and its relation to the company's ambitious safety strategy. Let's listen in:

Brian: We began the year with an announcement at CES that included news that certain Honda 0 Series EV models will be available with Level 3 (L3) automated technology. It's an exciting development because while this so-called 'eyes-off' capability is initially planned for use in congested traffic on highways, we aim to expand the system's capabilities to allow L3 operation in more scenarios over time.

MJ: As we plan our future safety strategies, we believe that advancing automated vehicle technology is an important step toward realizing our incredibly challenging goal of zero traffic collision fatalities involving our vehicles in the future. We will continue to expand these and other life-saving technologies.

Brian: At the same time, research shows that risky behavior, especially with young drivers, contributes to almost half of the traffic fatalities in America. Engineers like me often think that we can solve every challenge by creating new technology. And we have applied our Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assistive technologies like automatic emergency braking to over 8 million vehicles on the road today. But it has become clear that we can't achieve our goal of zero fatalities through technology alone.

MJ: It's so interesting – and important – to hear an engineer like you acknowledge that technology alone isn't enough. A lot has changed in the 20 years since Honda launched 'Safety for Everyone' with the idea to protect not only the driver and passengers in our vehicles, but everyone sharing the road.

Brian: It is a little hard to embrace the reality that it's been 20 years! I remember when Honda opened our world-class safety research center in Ohio in that same year – 2003 – and I spent much of my career there as a safety engineer. Honda actually has two of the most sophisticated safety research facilities in the world — with the other one in Japan — and together, these centers are responsible for numerous advancements in safety technology.

MJ: These facilities really are world-class, but as you point out, our safety strategy has evolved to encompass the reality that driving behavior is a major cause of traffic fatalities. That's why I'm proud that we're expanding our focus beyond technology alone to include efforts to augment driver behavior and improve the traffic safety ecosystem by working with government, industry and community partners.

Brian: Exactly. While people can be saved by technology, even more people will be saved if we work together to change driving behavior, culture and infrastructure. MJ, you have a personal tragedy that brings this point home if you can share it.

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MJ: I do. Twenty-four years ago, my sister and only sibling sustained traumatic injuries after being ejected from a car in a multiple rollover crash and died at age 19. The technology of seat belts existed, but she wasn't wearing one. When we were growing up in Guam, we were taught the wrong behavior – told repeatedly that you did not need to wear seat belts in the backseat since it was the safest place in a vehicle. We brought that thinking with us when we moved to California for college. It's why I always say that 'Safety is personal.'

For years afterward, I agonized over how things might have turned out differently. This set off a chain of events in my own life. I worked at several automakers in various roles in product planning, sales and marketing. Then, three years ago, I had the opportunity to oversee a new Honda initiative on safety education and help save lives.

Brian: I know you are acutely aware of the data – that nearly one-third of U.S. traffic fatalities involve drivers under 25 years of age. But as you said, safety isn't about the data, it's personal. As a parent of teenagers, I can tell you that I think about their safety constantly. After years of working on the safety of Honda vehicles, I am confident in the technology. What keeps me up at night are the risks that vehicle technology can't control like driver distractions or just inexperience behind the wheel. And kids don't always listen to their parents!

MJ: There's a lot of research on this, actually! Basically, just diversifying where young drivers get their information, whether that is from a game or a network of peers they trust, can help them really internalize it. So, it is personally fulfilling that we teamed up last year with Discovery Education to create 'Honda Safety Driven' – a program that has already reached over 500,000 students from elementary school all the way through high school. And we recently added Crash Course, which helps gamify driving principles for young learners.

We're piloting a comprehensive in-car program for young drivers in the community, as well. Starting with the area surrounding our auto plant in Indiana, focusing on education, behavior and real-world driver training.

Brian: Speaking of the real world, we're also expanding our efforts to improve the traffic safety ecosystem by working with community partners to expand our reach. Because we can't achieve our goal of zero fatalities alone.

MJ: Yes, we're supporting a range of nonprofit organizations, including National Safety Council, ThinkFirst Foundation and Safe Kids Worldwide, that are advancing traffic safety initiatives in communities across America. We've already contributed more than $6 million to these, and many other community organizations, across the nation.

To reach our goal of zero fatalities in traffic collisions, Honda is funding organizations that are working to address issues like driving behavior among young drivers in communities across America.

Brian: We are working with government and industry groups as well, where we can contribute the experience we've gained across all of our work in safety by collaborating with others to improve traffic infrastructure.

MJ: It really gets to the heart of our approach – looking beyond the design of our vehicles to address other opportunities to advance safety for our customers and society. After all, new automated technologies like L3 with 'eyes off' capabilities are exciting and promising, but not everyone on the road will be driving a vehicle with the latest safety technology for years to come. Our safety goal of zero fatalities is impossible to achieve alone.

Brian: Right, which is why we're building on our safety commitment around the idea of Safety for Everyone… with everyone. As we look at ways to augment driving skills, eliminate risky behavior and enhance the traffic ecosystem, we are very open to collaboration with community organizations, government and others.

Achieving our 2050 safety goal of zero fatalities will take all of us — and we welcome additional organizations working to advance safety to join our initiative.