With the recent ASEAN launch of the all-new 2022 Honda Civic FE in Thailand, we noticed that Honda Sensing is now standard across the range (albeit without the LaneWatch camera, which is exclusive to the RS variant).

At the time of writing, only the Honda Civic TC-P variant gets Honda Sensing in Malaysia (FC generation).

When it comes to ADAS suites, Honda's Sensing is one of the most accomplished ones out of the box. How does one improve on an already great product? Which got us wondering, is there anything new in the Civic FE's Honda Sensing suite?

Improving on a great formula

The answer is yes. In the Honda Civic FE, it's called the Lead Car Departure Notification system (LCDN), adding another feather to its considerable arsenal. Obviously, the question on everyone's lips is: what is LCDN and what does it do?

Also read: From foggy roads to congested cities, Honda Civic’s Sensing is one of the best

In essence, LCDN utilises the millimeter-wave radar (located at the front of the car, concealed behind the bumper) to detect cars in front. In standstill traffic, if the car in front of you moves off, LCDN will alert you via audio and visual alerts, if you haven't taken any action. 

While this might seem like a rather insignificant feature, we're of the opinion that LCDN can help reduce frustrating situations (like road rage) while driving in heavy traffic. How many times have you seen the car in front of you remaining stationary whilst traffic ahead has moved off? Recipe for a honking festival.

Also read: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ADAS, more harm than good?

LCDN is also a rather useful feature for drivers who are easily distracted (by their smartphones, infotainment, the scenery) to focus and pay attention to the task at hand: driving.

You'd be surprised how many drivers on the road nowadays drive while being completely distracted, and LCDN can help mitigate this, to a certain degree.

Whilst this is a very innovative feature, do note that LCDN is not the first of such a system to be offered in an ADAS suite.

In Malaysia, the Subaru's EyeSight - called Lead Vehicle Start Alert - (in the Forester) and Perodua's ASA 2.0 - called Front Departure Alert - (in the Ativa) ADAS suites already have such a feature.

Nonetheless, it's great to see more and more ADAS suites having this feature. 

Conclusion

However, I have to add this caveat as always. No matter how good an ADAS system is, you should NEVER let it do the driving for you. It is to make your life easier, more convenient, and to mitigate accidents.

Point here is, the Honda Sensing ADAS suite is a genuinely great innovation, one that is continuously improving. To get the most out of it, users have to understand its benefits and limitations. That way, the benefits of Honda Sensing will truly be harnessed.