THE show cars are often simple models equipped with a very small electric motor, which they use, for example, to move from a truck to a stand. They are sometimes even remotely controlled, but manufacturers generally avoid showing this aspect to the public.
It’s quite the opposite at Sony, which saw it as a perfect communication opportunity to talk about its new Afeela electric car, by bringing it on stage with a PS5 DualSense controller. Of course, this is not a feature that will be found on the production model, expected in 2026.
Sony provided an update on the progress of the project, carried out in collaboration with Honda via the Sony Honda Mobility joint venture. After five consecutive editions of CES, the model is gradually approaching mass production and Sony’s positioning is becoming clearer. However, little data has been revealed about the electric car, originally promised in a configuration with two electric motors, for a cumulative power of 400 kW (536 hp), a 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 s and a maximum speed of 240 km/h.
Sony wants to make a difference with its embedded software
This year, Sony mainly focused its presentation on software, which it now considers predominant in the automobile industry. On the one hand, Sony Honda Mobility cars will feature advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving functions and will be based on no less than 45 sensors, including a lidar visible on the roof of the prototype presented.
But Sony also wants to take advantage of its experience in gaming, in order to allow passengers in its cars to play certain games with performance at the level of a PS5. To do this, the cars will rely on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5.3 rendering engine. It will thus be possible to play FortniteFor example.
The graphics power will also be exploited by augmented reality functions, both for gaming and to display elements on the road, in particular.
Finally, Sony Honda Mobility announced that it had entered into a partnership with Microsoft to use its Azure AI solution. The objective is in particular to offer an advanced personal assistant on board the company’s cars, operating using generative AI.