Honda launches PathAhead to turn desert sand into road aggregate in Africa

Honda established startup PathAhead under its IGNITION program to commercialize Rising Sand, an artificial aggregate made from desert sand.

Rising Sand uses a proprietary granulation process to turn ~100µm desert sand into rounded particles tens of millimeters in size to improve strength and uniformity.

PathAhead plans field trials in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa from 2027 and aims to start mass production at a Kenya plant in 2028, targeting over 20 years durability and ~60% lifecycle cost versus conventional materials.