Electric vehicles (EVs) seem to be a gateway technology to auto manufacturing, even for storied consumer electronics companies better known for more traditional gadgets. On the eve of the opening of the 2022 CES, Sony said that it had formed a new company — Sony Mobility Inc. — aimed at “exploring a commercial launch of Sony EVs (electric vehicles),” in the words of Sony Group Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, who made the announcement at a live Las Vegas-held press event. As a preamble to this statement, the occasion was also used to showcase the follow-up prototype to Sony’s Vision S concept electric car, which had been displayed with great fanfare at the last live CES in January 2020: the new Vision S SUV.
“Sony is well-positioned to redefine mobility,” Yoshida stated just ahead of the announcement in explaining the company’s decision to ”accelerate these efforts.”
After stating that the follow-up vehicle’s creation had come about when the company was “encouraged to consider bringing technology to change the experience of moving from one place to another,” he provided press attendees and online press viewers some details on the newer electric vehicle prototype, which he said incorporates elements of safety, adaptability, and entertainment.
Installed both within and outside its chassis are 40 sensors to monitor safety. It also includes 5G high-speed, low-latency network connectivity between the vehicle and the cloud that will work to cause the vehicle to continually evolve and personalize the car’s interior for each user, he stated. An added aural appointment is Sony 360 Reality Audio (employed in other Sony audio products) to optimize the audio experience within the car.
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Nancy is a contributing editor for Dealerscope.
