Sony bursts into the automotive market with the Afeela electric sedan
Sony bursts into the automotive market with the Afeela electric sedan
The automotive industry is becoming more and more attractive to high-tech companies. And Japan’s Sony has decided to tap into this uncharacteristic niche. The first step was the creation of the Sony Honda Mobility division. Now the Afeela brand has been launched and a prototype of the electric car of the same name, stuffed with Sony’s proprietary know-how, has been presented.
The company pins serious hopes on Afeela. Developers state that it will become a base for the future serial automobile. Engineers have equipped a prototype system of 45 cameras and sensors connected to a Qualcomm Snapdragon-based computing platform. This provides Level 3 autonomy for road scenarios and Level 2+ autonomy for driving on public roads.
The digital dashboard deserves special attention. It stretches across the entire width of the cabin and opens up to the driver and passenger a lot of unusual opportunities. At the same time, the screens are discrete, and on each side there are separate displays that display the picture from the side-view cameras. The new sedan should become a space for interactive entertainment, not just a means of transportation. In cooperation with Epic Games, Sony intends to equip it with AR and VR functionality.