Sony Honda EV Afeela
The Afeela prototype was unveiled by Sony and Honda over a year after the two companies announced their intentions to jointly produce and market electric automobiles.
They unveiled the prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show, CES 2023 in Las Vegas.
Yasuhide Mizuno’s Statement
Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, claimed that the vehicle would make use of Sony’s expertise in virtual reality, augmented reality, and entertainment to deliver a distinctive and unique EV. They intend to investigate the idea of how it may produce an enjoyable and stimulating mobility engagement.
Afeela reflects on their conception of an interactive relationship where individuals experience interactive mobility and where mobility can recognize and comprehend people and society by utilizing sensing and Al technology, him.
Mobility Philosophy
The sedan was demonstrated on stage at CES on Wednesday as the CEO of Sony, Kenichiro Yoshida discussed the company’s mobility philosophy, which places an emphasis on creating cars with autonomous features that can be converted into “moving entertainment spaces.”
Level 3 Autonomy
The new EV will initially be produced at Honda’s North American factory and will have Level 3 automated driving capabilities under certain restrictions, according to prior statements from Sony and Honda. At level 3 autonomy, the vehicle can operate in congested areas, but the human driver is required to take control when the system signals it.
The integration of external media along the front of the car, which enables it to communicate with other drivers and transmit critical information, was one of the new design aspects that Sony presented at CES.
Implementation of Fundamental Principles
The three fundamental principles of autonomy, augmentation, and affinity will all be attempted to be embodied in Afeela.
Exterior
The four-door fastback car has a modern appearance. It was displayed on stage and was a sedan with a high-gloss black roof and a light strip across the front. It provides guidance and can communicate with both people and other moving objects. It is considered to be an interface for a new era, according to Sony. It had sporty 21-inch wheels with a black finish. As well as digital mirrors and a streamlined roofline are the sedan’s further highlights. The car is 4,895mm long, 1,900mm wide, and has a height of 1,460mm overall.
Interior
The sedan has a modern, minimalist interior, with the panoramic digital screen dominating the dashboard. Five people can fit in the cabin, which boasts a large panoramic sunroof. There will be digital screens mounted on the backs of each seat and the yoke steering wheel will have buttons and touchpads, as further embellishments.
Powertrain
The company has not yet disclosed the prototype’s powertrain specifications, but it has stated that it would include all-wheel drive, a double-wishbone front suspension, and a multi-link rear suspension. Additionally, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis technology, which provides drivers with artificial intelligence systems, better personalization, and other user-friendly technologies, will be used in the production model, according to Sony Honda Mobility.
Safety measures
According to Yoshida, the prototype is also mounted with 45 cameras and sensors both inside and outside the car to assure security. To avoid accidents, the in-cabin sensors will keep track of the driver’s condition.
Augmented Reality
Afeela will also offer top-notch and advanced entertainment to its users. The joint venture between Sony and Honda will use the 3D computer graphics game engine Unreal Engine from Epic Games in its automobiles to help envision not only entertainment in cars but also communication and safety. Additionally, it will make use of cloud computing and augmented reality, which will involve fusing the real and virtual worlds together seamlessly and investigating new entertainment opportunities via technological advancements in order to experience leveraging their understanding of the technologies.
Sales
Although the precise name of the Afeela prototype has not yet been disclosed, Sony’s CEO stated that the first preorders and sales of the EV will start in the first half of 2025. Customers in North America would receive the shipments first hand, in the spring of 2026.
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