Sony will create a new division dedicated to mobility. She will be responsible for developing Sony’s future electric car. The future boss of the division detailed the objective of the firm: to transform the car in the image of the telephone become a smartphone. Autonomous, connected, it will serve as a nomadic multimedia center.
At the beginning of the month, we relayed in our columns the launch at the CES in Las Vegas of Vision-S 02, the second electric car concept developed by Sony. This prototype follows Vision-S, unveiled a year earlier. The particularity of the second model is to embed more sensors so that it moves independently even in urban areas. You can find an official presentation video at the end of this article.
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If the Vision-S 02 remains a prototype, this electric car reveals more precisely what Sony’s plans are for the electric car of tomorrow. The Vision-S 02, for example, has a 5G connection which obviously allows him to orient and direct himself, but also to connect to remote services. An example: it would be possible to play in streaming on PS Now or in Remote Play from a PlayStation 5.
The car of tomorrow will be made for playing and having fun
But this is only the beginning. Sony’s vision of the future of the automobile is ultra-connected and ultra-multimedia. This is explained by Izumi Kawanishi, general manager at Sony who will take charge of Sony Mobility, the new division that the Japanese firm will create in the spring of 2022. He gave an interview to the Reuters news agency. And according to him, the car will gradually become a nomadic multimedia center where passengers can be entertained and informed during their journey.
Izumi Kawanishi also joins Elon Musk on the evolution of the automobile in the medium term: like the basic telephone that became a smartphone at the end of the 2000s, the car will gain in intelligence to become more “smart”. Obviously, Sony’s expertise in audio, video and gaming would come in very handy. But not only. Sony will also have to join forces with partners to design the other elements of the vehicle.
The leader is convinced that this activity will become a strong source of income for the group. Equipment manufacturers are already associated with his project: Valeo and Bosch. But Sony is looking for a car manufacturer. Reuters mentions the name of Magna, the Canadian brand which has already signed a subcontracting agreement with BMW and Mercedes. And she would also work on the Apple Car, a car that should also become fully autonomous. And it makes sense: Apple’s vision seems quite similar to Sony’s.
Source: Reuters