Sony’s appearance at the CES technology show was highly anticipated mainly in the hope its new PlayStation 5 gaming console would be revealed—not because the company was expected to show a Sony electric vehicle. Nobody anticipated that turn of events for the manufacturer that, last year at CES, focused on 8K TVs and audio technology.
As it turned out, Sony only showed a logo to tease PlayStation 5, but the Vision-S, Sony's electric concept car, was rolled out onto the stage near the end of the company's presentation, surprising just about everybody. Sony said the Vision-S is part of a new initiative to put on display its technological prowess and capabilities in the area of mobility; the company made no suggestion that the car was destined for production.
The all-wheel-drive concept sits on a newly developed EV platform that Sony says would be adaptable to coupe, sedan, and SUV body types. It is powered by a dual-motor system and weighs 5180 pounds. Sony's specs estimate a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 149 mph. The company didn't offer details about battery capacity or range.
"This prototype embodies our contribution to the future of mobility and contains a variety of Sony's technologies," Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said at the unveiling. The car features a panoramic screen that stretches the length of the dashboard, making the instrument panel and center screen into one contiguous screen. There are also rear-facing screens on the backs of the front headrests.
Yoshida said the project involved input from other companies such as BlackBerry and Magna. The design is not groundbreaking; in fact, it bears similarities to other EVs. Notably, the headlights and portions of the front end look a bit like the Porsche Taycan, and the large windshield and squared-off back end are reminiscent of the Tesla Model 3.
The point of Sony's concept is to show what it can do inside and outside a car, so there are 33 sensors, including radar, lidar, and cameras. The car also integrates Sony's immersive 360-degree audio technology, 360 Reality Audio, which features speakers in each seat. Sony also built the capability for continual over-the-air updates into the car.
