Sony Honda Mobility’s EV plans are moving at a solid pace, according to the company’s appearance at CES 2023, which saw the introduction of its first electric vehicle prototype under its newly announced car brand, “AFEELA,” featuring 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle, as well as 800 TOPS of maximum computing power.
According to a summary of Yasuhide Mizuno’s (Representative Director, Chairman, and CEO) press conference speech that can be found on the newly launched AFEELA website, a major collaborator on the project is Epic Games, whose Unreal Engine graphics technologies are being used to help design interfaces for the vehicle:
- SHM strives to become a Mobility Tech Company that will pursue innovation in mobility by combining cutting-edge technology and passion along with people who pioneer the future with their creativity, based on our corporate purpose “Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.”
- SHM announces its new brand, “AFEELA,” along with the unveiling of a prototype that demonstrates a new relationship between people and mobility.
- Towards realizing safety and security: Our prototype is equipped with a total of 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle, together with 800 TOPS of maximum computing power for ECU.
- Mobility space into entertainment space by seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds. To begin with, SHM has started to build new values and concepts for mobility with Epic Games.
- SHM will develop the production model based on this prototype. Pre-orders are planned to begin in the first half of 2025, sales by the end of 2025, and delivery from spring in 2026 in North America.
- To advance the intelligence of mobility, SoCs from Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Digital Chassis will be used in key features including AD/ADAS, HMI/IVI, and telematics. SHM is building a strategic technology partnership with Qualcomm Technologies to realize next gen mobility experience.
- SHM begins collaboration with Epic Games to create new value in mobility services and entertainment.
“AFEELA expresses an interactive relationship where people ‘FEEL’ mobility as an intelligent entity, and mobility ‘FEELs’ people and society using sensing and network IT technologies,” Sony Honda Mobility explained as to why it chose that name.
“At Epic we are passionate about cars and the automotive industry, and we couldn’t be happier to see Sony and Sony Honda Mobility enter the innovative world of mobility and automotive technology,” said Kim Libreri, CTO, Epic Games. “Together with them, we look forward to bringing you exciting updates within this revolutionary space.”
As hinted by Mizuno, pre-orders for a production model based on this prototype, which features a “Media Bar” and gentle interior that makes occupants feel as if they’re in a soft cocoon, will open in the first half of 2025, with deliveries slated to begin spring 2026 in North America.
Sony Group Corporation (Sony) and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) signed a
memorandum of understanding for strategic alliance in mobility field on March 4, 2022, and in October, cemented the partnership with the establishment of Sony Honda Mobility Inc.,
The company says that its purpose is to “move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.”