Project Courage is one of Honda’s initiatives working with one of their long-term partners, the Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC Hospital), where they built an electric mini car for children in the hospital. Often, the stress and unfamiliarity of a hospital environment stands in the way of the healing process. However, with the creation of this car called Shogo, Honda aims to alleviate stress and to help hospitalized children feel more at ease. Learn more about Project Courage with the team at Curtiss Ryan Honda below.
Honda Shogo
Named the Shogo, this Honda electric motorized vehicle transports young patients to their next appointment or surgery instead of the usual wheelchair. Shogo roughly translates to “soaring into the future” in Japanese, which reflects the goal of Project Courage meaningfully. Young patients who are between the ages of 4 to 9 can drive the Shogo easily with power controls and the go/stop mechanism on the steering wheel. This car goes at a speed of 1-5 miles per hour, which is adjusted and controlled by a nurse or caregiver.
Honda engineers worked with the CHOC Hospital closely to ensure the Shogo will perform effectively and safely in the hospital itself. Other features that make this mini car the perfect ride for children in the hospital include:
- It is electrified as it has to accommodate the setting.
- Shogo doesn’t have any doors, though it has central seating for the child where they can easily get in and out.
- Surfacing is soft and easy to maintain, which is especially crucial in a hospital environment.
- As the Shogo replaces a wheelchair in this case, it also includes an IV pole holder should the young patient need it.
- While the young patient can drive the Shogo themselves, there is also a push bar if the caregivers need to manually push the car instead.
- There is a toy bucket in the front of the car if the young patient wants to bring any items with them. There are cup holders as well.
- The center horn has different sound options, paralleling the experience of driving a car as much as possible.
- Lastly, there is a customizable license plate slot to display the name of each rider to make the experience more personalized.
Connecticut Community Involvement from Curtiss Ryan Honda
After learning about Project Courage, you might be interested in other Honda initiatives, or you might even be inspired to be a part of an initiative near the Trumbull area yourself. Contact us for more information, or, if you have an idea for community involvement that you want Curtiss Ryan Honda to sponsor, place in a philanthropy request today! In the past, our Shelton dealership has been involved with initiatives related to education, health, the environment and conservation, arts and culture, and more.