Japanese electronics giant Sony unveiled a fleet of its new electric vehicle at this year's CES event. The electric vehicle is meant to showcase the different technologies across the company's diverse subsidiaries, which will soon include an electric vehicle unit.
Sony unveiled a fleet of its Vision-S concept electric SUV at this year's show. The company originally unveiled an electric sedan in 2020 called the Vision-S 01. The updated concept SUV, called the Vision-S 02, is a seven-seat vehicle packed with the company's latest technologies, such as new LiDAR sensors and cloud computing platforms.
The Vision-S 02 uses the same fully-electric power train as the sedan, which has two 200 kW electric motors. Sony packed both vehicles with its latest sensors, including high-resolution and wide dynamic range CMOS optical sensors that give drivers a 360-degree view of their surroundings. The sensors work in conjunction with other sensors and data to alert drivers of oncoming emergencies and relevant safety information.
Sony said it is currently conducting experiments in Europe to integrate Level 2+ driver assistance technologies into its future vehicles. Time-of-Flight sensors for driver verification have been integrated into electric vehicles and intuitive gesture and voice commands. Sony is presently working with its partners to allow over-the-air upgrades and remote operation of the car, which will include 5G connectivity.
Being a leader in high-fidelity audio and video equipment, Sony equipped its electric SUV with unique technologies such as built-in seat speakers and a sound system compatible with its "360 Reality Auto" service.
Sony has plans to become a major player in the electric vehicle market by selling its own advanced EVs. While the Vision-S 02 is still a prototype, the company said it plans commercially build a similar version that would be available to the public. Sony has yet to formally announce pricing and details of its planned commercial EV.
Sony said it would be forming a new company called "Sony Mobility Inc." and look into entering the electric vehicle market. The company said the subsidiary would be established sometime this year.
The business didn't say what further measures it's taking to reach that objective, and it's unclear whether it'll be able to deliver its Vision-S vehicles in the near future. It's worth mentioning, however, that Sony has been testing its electric car on public roads in Europe since December 2020 and has also started verification tests of the safety and user experience of the vehicle's image and sensing systems.
