Sony Honda Mobility, a joint venture between multinational conglomerate Sony and car manufacturer Honda, has unveiled its sedan electric vehicle prototype under the joint company AFEELA.
The Japanese joint venture revealed the electric car during Sony’s news conference before the start of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January. The AFEELA prototype is a combination of Sony electronics and Honda engineering.
The four-door, all-wheel drive sedan is equipped with 45 cameras and sensors to increase safety and create a Level 3 autonomous driving capability in “specific conditions,” according AFEELA’s website. Level 3 autonomy refers to a vehicle that can handle certain driving functions without driver input, however the driver still must pay attention and take control if necessary, according to SAE International, a professional association and standards organization for transport and other industries.
AFEELA’s prototype reimagines how technology can be used in a vehicle. For example, the front end of the vehicle has a media bar between the headlights that can inform the driver of weather conditions and the battery charge, according to the company’s site.
The interior is equipped with a panoramic screen along the entire dashboard, which can be personalized with images from the driver’s favorite movies, games and designs. Passengers have access to movies and games on the dashboard and back-seat screens.
The vehicle also features automatic doors that unlock and open as the driver approaches the car. Sensors around the driver’s seat recognize who is driving and adjust the seat and wheel position to their preferences.
Sony Honda Mobility is developing a production model of the sedan based on the prototype. The company plans for pre-orders to begin in the first half of 2025, with sales beginning later that year. Deliveries in North America are planned to begin in the spring of 2026. The company has not yet assigned a starting MSRP for the car.
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