Sony and Honda are back at CES (until January 12th) with an update on their EV joint project Afeela. The latest development stage of the concept car, which was presented exactly a year ago, rolls onto the stage remotely controlled with a PlayStation controller at the presentation in Las Vegas.
Izumi Kawanishi, head of the Sony Honda Mobility joint venture, asserted with the controller in his hand that this was only for show purposes. But it shows where the Sony car is headed. It’s all about entertainment. The Japanese alliance brings together Honda’s expertise in the areas of mobility and vehicle construction with Sony’s know-how in the development and application of imaging and sensor technology as well as consumer electronics.PlayStation know-how in the carThe car is therefore fully charged with giant displays and features for the gamer generation. Thanks to a partnership with Epic Games, there will be new offerings in the interior, more precisely games. Through cooperation with Polyphony Digital, the makers of the popular Gran Turismo racing simulation, advanced virtual representations are coming to the Afeela. In addition, Sony and Honda want to work with Microsoft to integrate generative AI to improve the driving experience. The 4.90 meter long car should also have safety features and an advanced driver assistance system for level 3 driving, the technology comes from industry giant Qualcomm. The Japanese, on the other hand, are still keeping a low profile when it comes to drive technology. The car should soon be ready for series production and will initially come onto the market in the USA in 2026. Apparently at the same time as Honda’s study called Saloon, which was presented at the same time at CES.
source site-13