| Honda (producer of high quality auto parts like Acura | | | | single-handedly developed the minivan market |
| CL EGR valve) has recently achieved another | | | | segment with its Dodge Caravan and the Chrysler |
| breakthrough in the field of robotics when it has | | | | Town & Country. Since the introduction of the |
| successfully made two humanoid robots to work in | | | | Caravan in the US in 1983 it has become the top-selling |
| pairs. | | | | minivan. |
| The demonstration was held in Tokyo where the two | | | | But it seems that Chrysler will not be holding the |
| child-size ASIMOs were made to serve tea and do | | | | minivan crown for long especially with Honda selling |
| other tasks in coordination with each other. According | | | | over 158,139 Odyssey minivans compared to the |
| to Honda, the new robot buddy system enables the | | | | 154,824 Dodge Caravans sold in the same period that |
| humanoids to share information on each other’s | | | | is according to data gathered by AutoData. |
| location as well as keep track of each other’s | | | | Chrysler’s sales suffered for 2007 because of |
| activities. | | | | changeover to the new version that is according to |
| To demonstrate the new capabilities of the ASIMOs | | | | Chrysler spokeswoman Beverly Thacker. Aside from |
| they were made to make their way around the room | | | | that more buyers are shifting to crossover SUVs |
| while pushing a refreshment cart then picking up and | | | | thereby reducing further the minivan market share. The |
| setting down drink trays. | | | | Caravan sales are now down by 21 percent as |
| According to the automaker the upgrades that they | | | | compared to the number it sold by the end of |
| have put on the ASIMO robots allow them to | | | | November in 2006. |
| recognize drink choices and to carry a tray with the | | | | With regards to total minivan sales including Chrysler |
| particular ordered drink. The most amazing about the | | | | Town & Country and Dodge Caravan, Chrysler LLC |
| ASIMO is the part where they can analyze and at the | | | | remains to be the market leader with 279,000 units of |
| same time predict the movement of real humans | | | | minivans sold. But despite this fact industry analysts |
| enabling them to avoid getting in the way. | | | | thinks that Chrysler need to do better than that, if it |
| Dodge Minivan to Bow Down to Honda Odyssey | | | | wants to keep the title as US best-selling minivan |
| Aside from the ASIMO, Honda’s Odyssey is also | | | | especially with Honda working hard to improve the |
| making waves and it may grab the minivan crown | | | | sales of its minivans and so far it’s doing a pretty |
| from Chrysler. | | | | good job. |
| It can be noted that it was Chrysler that | | | | |