Honda system warns motorists of crime hotspots, steers clear of Detroit

Honda's launching the next step in navigation system evolution that will automatically warn drivers to be on guard when traveling through areas of high crime. The system is launching in Japan on Tuesday, but we haven't heard of any plans to bring it to the United States. It's probably for the best, as there'd be wide swaths of the country that this navi would recommend you avoid. Places like Washington DC, where crime is apparently legal and perpetrated by criminals with offices and staffs. Detroit might be marked with an avoidance warning too, but that's more likely due to Honda wanting to avoid a Jets-Sharks danceoff.

Honda's warning system uses historical data from the Japanese police to pinpoint areas where vehicle damage or theft has happened in the past. Areas then receive ratings based on the level of danger they pose to automobiles just passing through. We guess it could be useful for people who don't take notice of their surroundings when behind the wheel, but some of us may lump it in with other "safety" annoyances like self-locking doors.

[Source: AFP]