Hospitals are scary places for children and their families, and Honda’s latest creation hopes to ease some of that stress. The automaker has created the Shogo, an all-electric ride-on vehicle that’s designed to give kids something positive to remember. It’s already in use at Children’s Health Orange County in California, giving kids an alternative to being pushed in wheelchairs to their various appointments and tests.
Honda designed the Shogo to easily accommodate kids by omitting the doors and a roof. There’s a central seating position with the stop-and-go function on the steering wheel for easy access. It can reach up to 5 miles per hour or slow to a 1-mph crawl, though a caregiver or nurse controls the speed. The sleek design is also functional, with a push bar at the back that includes an IV pole holder and a place to carry various pumps and equipment. The push bar also allows an adult to push the EV.
Gallery: Honda Shogo
“Every element of Shogo was designed to accommodate different needs of young children, making it as easy as possible to get in and out, simple to drive, and for the entire experience to leave them a bit happier,” said Randall Smock, a senior exterior designer of vehicles at American Honda Motor. He also played a significant role in the design of Shogo and the testing of the vehicle.
The Shogo includes a spot for the child to bring their favorite toy or stuffed animal along in the front bucket while they can customize it with a personalized license plate at the back. There are cup holders, a horn with different sounds, and easily cleanable surfaces throughout, and it’s not Honda’s first kid-oriented ride.
“To see the joy on the faces of these young patients when they get behind the wheel of Shogo is truly rewarding,” Hundy Liu said, manager of national automobile advertising at American Honda.
Source: Honda
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