Honda Two Wheeler India is getting ready to launch a new Activa variant called Activa Smart on 23rd Jan 2023
Honda Activa is the best-selling scooter of India. It is also one of the most stolen scooters. Even though tech has become a lot smarter, professional thieves still find a way to beat the system. From simply breaking the handle lock to hacking advanced code based anti-theft devices, it’s an everyday routine for professional thieves.
A 100% safe system may never be possible, so the best hope is to develop anti-theft devices that are harder to crack. Honda appears to be doing just that with its H-Smart anti-theft system. H-Smart featured Honda Activa Smart will be launched on January 23rd. It has been homologated, revealing new details.
New Honda Activa Smart Variant
Honda had filed an application to trademark ‘H-Smart’ in India in December 2022, which has been approved. As per the trademark description, H-Smart is listed as ‘anti-theft systems for two-wheeled vehicles’. This makes it clear what H-Smart is all about and where it is intended to be used. However, exact details of how it works and costs involved will be revealed at the time of launch.
The first Honda vehicle to get this new safety feature will be Activa. Honda Activa Smart variant has been officially homologated with the ministry. Specs are same, what has changed is the gross vehicle weight for the Smart variant has reduced to 279 kgs, instead of 280 kgs for other Activa variant.
H-Smart may be a necessity rather than a marketing gimmick, as vehicle thefts are rampant across the country. Even in international locations, vehicle thefts are widely reported. In a study that analysed vehicle theft data in the national capital region between 2011 and 2020, it was found that Honda Activa was the second most stolen two-wheeler in the city. H-Smart can probably change that by making Activa harder to steal.
Most stolen two-wheeler in Delhi-NCR was Hero Splendor, whereas Bajaj Pulsar, Royal Enfield Classic 350 and TVS Apache were 3rd, 4th and 5th in the list, respectively. Most of these bikes are yet to have a dedicated anti-theft system. Honda H-Smart could probably work as a pioneering initiative, something that other OEMs could replicate in near future.
Honda H-Smart – How it works?
Although technical details have not been revealed, Honda H-Smart could be a low-cost version of Honda Ignition Security System (HISS). The latter is already offered with premium Honda bikes such as CBR650R, CB650R and CRF1100L Africa Twin. HISS utilizes a microchip embedded key and has a code that can only be read by the ECU. The bike will start only if the code matches.
As compared to other similar systems, the coded password utilized by HISS cannot be stolen by an external device or antenna. In conventional code-based systems, thieves often break into the code with the use of advanced scanners. This is not possible with HISS, as it utilizes a contact-based mechanism. Duplicating the key will also not help, as the code inside the microchip needs to match.
HISS is easy to use, as it is automatically enabled when the key is removed from the bike. So, no issues about forgetting to turn on a switch or something of that sort. H-Smart could have similar features, which will help protect Honda’s smaller capacity bikes and scooters.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
