ASIMO Receives Royal Welcome in Dubai

This week ASIMO travelled to the Emirate of Dubai to attend The Government Summit: "Shaping Future Governments".

The three-day summit, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is the largest government gathering of its type in the world.

The annual event, which ran from February 9-11, attracted more than 4,000 delegates from 93 countries, including heads of state, prime ministers, vice presidents, ministers, diplomats and NGO – each in attendance to share best practices and discuss how to improve government services across the world.

ASIMO participated in the opening ceremony, which saw Honda's advanced humanoid robot play soccer with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (Crown Prince of Dubai) and meet his father, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rachid Al Maktoum (UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai) for a handshake.

ASIMO performed a total of 12 shows (in Arabic and English) at the summit, each showcasing Honda's cutting-edge robotics technology and long-standing dedication to innovation.

About Honda
Honda was the first Japanese automaker to produce automobiles in America.  Today, the company produces nearly 95 percent of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in America in the region.

Honda employs more than 25,000 associates at 16 plants in North America with the capacity to produce more than 4 million Honda and Acura products each year, including 1.92 million automobiles, 340,000 power equipment products and 1.8 million general purpose engines, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Eight auto plants in the region, including four in the U.S., manufacture 11 Honda and Acura models, including four passenger cars and seven light trucks using domestic and globally sourced parts.  A fifth U.S. auto plant, the Performance Manufacturing Center, is under construction in Marysville, Ohio, and next year will become the exclusive global production location for the next generation Acura NSX.  The company also is constructing the third Honda automobile transmission plant in the region in Celaya, Mexico, and a plant in Burlington, North Carolina, for production of the GE-Honda HF120 turbofan jet engine.

Honda has invested more than $2.7 billion in its North American manufacturing operations over the past two years, including more than $1 billion in its U.S. factories.  In 2013, the company produced a record 1.72 million automobile in North America and purchased a record $25.5 billion in parts and materials from its more than 650 North American suppliers.