A major new announcement from the Japanese manufacturer promises to push greener driving style into the main stream.

Following hot on the heels of French-manufacturer, Fiat’s similar Eco:Drive initiative, Honda has announced the development of an innovative technology to enable drivers to adopt greener driver styles.

Initially developed for the forthcoming Honda Insight Hybrid, due in early 2009, this technology called, wait for it, Ecological Drive Assist System aims to improve drivers driving style to improve fuel efficiency.

Visual stimulus, the ambient meter, on the dashboard (shown in the image) will enable the driver to instantly see how economically they are driving by the innovative use of colour behind the speedometer display – the greener the colour the more economical the drive; a blue colour indicates heavy fuel consumption. Importantly the ambient meter has been developed to recognise not only economical use of the accelerator but also efficient use of brakes.

Honda have also developed as part of the Ecological Drive Assist System a long term scoring system to help engage their drivers with making real savings in fuel economy long term; by way of using a simple plant motif of the more leaves on the plant the more economical the drive.

While this device can be ignored Honda are effectively empowering their drivers to choose between a fuel efficient drive and a more aggressive drive.

Honda hope to introduce this technology throughout its range in the coming years.

For more information check out www.insightecon.co.uk