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Honda Designs Car for Dogs

Honda has designed a new concept car with man’s best friend in mind.

Honda Designs Car Friendly for Dogs (AP)

Photo: Pet dogs sit in special crates for dogs in the glove apartment at the front and bigger crate in the back seat of Honda Motor Corp.'s W.O.W Concept vehicle during a media preview in Wako, north of Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 26, 2005. With wide sliding doors, the concept vehicle that stands for 'wonderful openhearted wagon,' features special crates for pet dogs. It is an exhibition model with no plans for commercial sale that will be exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show that opens on Nov. 19. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Honda Motor Co. has designed a car that’s friendly for dogs — part of the Japanese automaker’s ongoing effort to create vehicles that are easy to use and comfortable to ride in. The W.O.W. Concept, which stands for “wonderful openhearted wagon,” shown to reporters recently, is an exhibition model with no plans for commercial sale that will be exhibited at the Tokyo auto show later this month.

A special crate for dogs in the glove apartment allows owners to interact with their pets while driving. A bigger crate pops up from the floor in the back seat area and can be folded back into the floor when it’s not needed. For even bigger dogs, just buckle them up with a special seat belt to the floor.

The big danger for pets riding along in cars is that they get thrown out during a crash. About a fifth of Japanese households have a dog, and demand is growing for cars that cater to man’s best friend, according to Honda. The W.O.W comes with removable, washable, rollout flooring and has wide sliding doors to keep dogs happy. “We created this vehicle from the point of view of a dog, but it turned out to be a gentler vehicle for the elderly, children and other family members,” said Honda designer Katsuhito Nakamura.

I don’t know which is funnier: the dog coming out of the glove “apartment” or the fact that the car is named “wonderful openhearted wagon.”

crosspost to sda

About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.

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Comments
 

Dumbest idea ever.

Posted by The Man | October 5, 2005 | 01:04 pm | Permalink
 

I have a golden retriever who likes to put his nose out the window! People always say how cute he is! I think it might cramp his style. He loves to ride in my jaguar better than my husbands SUV because it is easier to get in and out! He really loves to be admired!

Posted by Zsa Zsa | October 5, 2005 | 01:29 pm | Permalink
 

...if only they would make the payments and kick in for gas.

Posted by leelu | October 5, 2005 | 02:47 pm | Permalink
 

Hardwood floors in a car? That is what the picture looks like to me!

Posted by Mark | October 5, 2005 | 03:28 pm | Permalink
 

The funny part is a Honda press release masquerading as an AP story.

Honda Motor Co. has designed a car that's friendly for dogs -- part of the Japanese automaker's ongoing effort to create vehicles that are easy to use and comfortable to ride in.

That's some searchin' journalism there.

Posted by Anderson | October 5, 2005 | 03:48 pm | Permalink
 

Anderson: Ye hath a point.

Posted by James Joyner | October 5, 2005 | 03:58 pm | Permalink
 

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