Friday, March 29, 2024

Sony wants to enter the EV market with its Vision-S 02 concept SUV

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Sony has unveiled a new concept SUV dubbed Vision-S 02 along with its intent to enter the electric vehicles (EV) fray.

Its first Vision-S EV unveiled at CES 2020 entered public road testing in Europe in December of the same year and has since moved into verification tests of the safety and user experience of the imaging and sensing technology installed inside and outside the vehicle and the human-machine interface (HMI) system. Sony began 5G driving tests in April 2021 and will continue to apply its cutting-edge technologies to provide new experiences in the realm of mobility, which is undergoing a shift to electric vehicles (EV).

The new Vision-S 02 uses the same EV/cloud platform as the prototype (Vision-S 01). This new prototype offers entertainment experiences utilizing the large interior space and variations of a 7-seater. The vehicle has sensors installed 360 degrees around the vehicle that include high-sensitivity, high-resolution, wide dynamic range CMOS image sensors and LiDAR sensors that accurately sense three-dimensional space. In addition, the system provides intuitive driver interaction in conjunction with the vehicle’s sound system and HMI system so that the driver can accurately judge the status of the surrounding environment.

Sony aims to provide greater safety and comfort to all through its sensor and communication technologies. Its Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are currently being verified on European public roads.

Sony’s mobility interface solution will support intuitive gestures and voice commands that are intended to enhance the usability of the car interface. The vehicle will also include a new function that allows users to customize the display theme and the acceleration and deceleration sounds of the vehicle. Vehicle settings, key locks, and user settings can be synchronized by linking the vehicle to the cloud using mobile communication, including 5G communication, which features low-latency, high-capacity, and high-speed capabilities. In addition, since updates are reflected in the vehicle via over the air (OTA), it is possible to provide security and evolve service functions and value-added offerings continuously.

Sony also wants to extend its expertise in the entertainment sector to its mobility system. The seat speakers, which create a three-dimensional sound field, and the streaming service compatible with “360 Reality Audio” provide an immersive music experience. In addition, Vision-S includes the digital video service “BRAVIA CORE” that enables shared or individual video playback on the front panoramic screen and individual rear-seat displays. Gaming capabilities have expanded to being able to play PlayStation games through a remote connection to a console at home.

In order to further accelerate and make new proposals that further evolve the mobility experience, Sony will establish an operating company, “Sony Mobility,” in the spring of 2022, through which the company intends to explore entry into the EV market.