Sony and Honda have launched a prototype electric vehicle ‘Afeela’ that uses Qualcomm technology

The Afeela electric car prototype, a joint venture between Sony and Honda, is shown during a press conference before the start of the CES technology show in Las Vegas on January 4. John Locher/The Associated Press

Japan’s Sony on Wednesday unveiled a prototype of the new “Afeela” electric vehicles it will build with Honda, saying it will use its vast entertainment content as it looks to become a player in next-generation cars.

Sony SONY-N gave a glimpse of the Afeela, which has rounded corners and a sleek black roof, at the CES 2023 tech show in Las Vegas. The car will use technology from Qualcomm Inc hardware maker QCOM-Q, including its ‘Snapdragon’ digital chassis.

Sony’s much-anticipated foray into electric vehicles — the company announced the Honda HMC-N venture in March — shows how manufacturers are increasingly focusing on the in-car cockpit experience, which offers the potential to sell content through in-car subscription services. especially as autonomous driving capabilities improve.

“To realize intelligent mobility, continuous software updates and high-performance computing are required,” Yashuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, said at the trade show. “To that end, we will work closely with Qualcomm.”

On Wednesday, Qualcomm released a new processor, the Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC, which handles both assisted driving and cockpit functions, including entertainment. Previously, these functions were managed on different chips, and unifying them could help reduce costs, a Qualcomm executive told Reuters.

Sony is also looking to use its traditional strengths in sensors. Afeela will be equipped with more than 40 sensors, Mizuno said. The car will use the 3-D creation tool “Unreal Engine” from Epic Games, the creator of the “Fortnite” game series.

For Honda, the Sony venture could allow it to speed up what has so far been a slow transition to electrics. It has also struggled over the years to make gains in the luxury car market with its Acura brand. The new EV will be costly, the company said.

The venture between Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd aims to deliver its first electric vehicles by early 2026 in North America.

Sony shares rose 1.6 percent in Tokyo trading, while Honda shares were flat. The benchmark Nikkei 225 was little changed.