Your car can become pals with the new AI improvements.

This week, the Japanese manufacturer unveiled additional information about its most recent electric vehicle venture, the 0 Series. In 2026, two EVs with rounded, unconventional appearance that hints at the future—the 0 SUV and the 0 Saloon—will make their premiere. Onstage at CES in Las Vegas, Honda executives pledged that the electric component is only a small portion of the anticipated innovation. Katsushi Inoue, head of Honda electrification, highlighted the "new level of intelligent vehicle technology" integrated into the 0 series in a presentation during the event.

Before showcasing the complete opposite—a talking robot integrated into the vehicle—he stated, "The Honda approach to the art of making things has always been human-centric."

Honda then played a brief film to demonstrate the robot in operation, showing a driver having a private conversation with the Her-like system that resides inside her electric vehicle. The chatbot was represented by an animation on the dash that looked like Siri. According to the commercial video, the hypothetical Saloon driver stated, "Saloon is my partner, always by my side, opening me up to new experiences and expanding my world." The automobile said, "Tell me more about yourself." Naturally, the driver replied.

Asimo, the new operating system for the 0 Series, is named after Honda's groundbreaking robot from the 1980s. This onboard operating system is made to adapt its experience to the driver's preferences on a constant basis. According to a press release from the carmaker, the system "will enable Honda to deliver a personalised ownership experience that will enhance the joy of driving."

Indeed, there was ample evidence across Las Vegas that automakers want to change the way that drivers have a close relationship with their vehicles.

According to Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' director of insights.-

“It was a theme across CES: You’re talking to a machine. You’re not connecting to humans,” “Everywhere you look, there are robots.”

Many manufacturers and suppliers implemented design changes and experiences that were specifically focused on discovering new methods to make drivers comfortable within the closed (and possibly lonely?) cabin and adjusting software systems and interiors to their preferences. 

Although Sony Honda Mobility has already demonstrated its electric Afeela prototype, we now know how the electronics manufacturers got involved: Entertainment features in the automobile will include the ability to play games and stream TV shows from the driver's seat and the back passenger seat. (Drivers must only play PlayStation when the vehicle is motionless.)

Conveniently, this emphasis on the driving experience has coincided with the ongoing discussion about generative AI. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the MBUX Virtual Assistant at CES a year ago. It is intended to enable drivers to search for subjects, destinations, or other car functions while operating a vehicle through natural-feeling interaction. Mercedes-Benz claims that the system has "natural, predictive, personal, and empathetic" personality features.

However, this year Honda appeared to go beyond personalising robots. In the advertising video, the actor stated, "I can always be myself with Saloon."

Big questions are brought up by the developments: How much time do drivers actually want to spend in their cars? What kind of future relationships do they hope to have with those chunks of metal? Most importantly: Can an automobile be a friend?