Sony surprised a lot of people back in 2020 when it unveiled the Vision-S, an electric sedan. It seemed out of place from their portfolio of consumer products that mostly have to do with entertainment. The PS5, Alpha line of cameras, true wireless headphones and earphones, and suddenly a car.
Well, Sony just made it clear that they’re serious about the new direction because they just unveiled another prototype, the Vision-S 02 – this time an SUV. They also stated that they’re aiming to establish a new division, tentatively called Sony Mobility Inc, in order to focus on this new area of interest.
Sony Mobility Inc
Sony is expanding its vision of mobility to one where “everyone can live in harmony with robots on a daily basis, fill people with emotion, and contribute to society.” It’s looking to spearhead the project with aibo, their autonomous entertainment dog-modelled robot; their relatively new Airpeak drones, and the Vision-S cars for mobility. Sony says the three will be used to “seek new value in a variety of fields.” We can only wait and see what they will create with such technologies.
The Vision-S 02
Taking from the original Vision-S, now dubbed as Vision-S 01, the 02 is an SUV with beefier styling to accommodate 2 more seats at the back. The design language is identical between the two with light strips on the front and at the tailgate, slim air vents on the corners of the front bumper, and similar character lines on the sides. Differences in aesthetics lie on the rear diffuser, the design of the wheels, and the hump by the C-pillar to accommodate 2 more seats.
Entertainment
Inside, they’re very much the same. The most eye-catching of which is the dashboard with built-in panoramic screen. It’s segmented for the driver’s info cluster, the entertainment screen at the center, and a section for the front passenger. There’s also a screen with haptic feedback at the center console for other vehicle controls, behind the front seats as entertainment, and another behind the center console for the rear passenger’s controls.
A PlayStation’s Dual Shock controller can be used for in-car entertainment, there’s a dial knob, and Sony is implementing a 360-audio experience for all occupants by having speakers on the seats themselves.
Mobile Integration
As expected from a smartphone maker, a phone holds considerable weight in using the car. The Vision-S mobile app will allow you to start the car, adjust temperature inside the cabin, even adjust seat positions before you even get in. As with smart keyless systems, it will also automatically unlock once you’re near. Vehicle status, driving data, and operation history are also stored in the cloud via the mobile app, allowing you to keep track of the car’s performance on the go.
With the number of screens inside the car, it’s expected that there will be themes that can be customized. But personalization goes beyond visual flair as the Vision-S, both sedan and SUV, have cameras that can recognize all occupants and has a powerful AI. It can remember patterns for each individual that if one is sleeping, it can adjust the temperature for that occupant’s area only for a cozier sleep. It can also learn a driver’s preference for music, temperature, driving settings and routes so that you won’t have a hard time reverting back to your settings if someone else drove the car.
Safety Suite
Sony also went all-out with the safety features of the Vision-S. For starters, there’s a total of 40 eyes outside the vehicle to monitor things while driving. It’s a combination of camera sensors, radar, and LiDAR that can detect objects up to 300 meters at high speeds.
The sensors also help the Vision-S navigate its way through traffic by having advanced cruise control, self-parking, and auto-lane changing function. Since the car is connected to a mobile app, these features can be updated to achieve Level 4 or higher self-driving in the long run.
Side mirrors are non-existent as the Vision-S makes use of cameras instead, showing the view on a screen inside the panoramic dashboard. There are also cameras on the rear view mirror, time-of-flight cameras for driver recognition, and a dedicated sensor focused on the driver side for lip reading which aids speech recognition and voice commands.
Versatile Platform
The Vision-S 01 and 02 are built on the same platform that’s versatile to accommodate coupes, sedans, MPVs, and SUVs. This is because of their all-wheel drive system with both ends controlled by a separate 200kw motor. The whole length between the two is filled by a thin battery pack which is why it was easy for Sony to extend the platform of the 4-seater and make a 7-seater SUV.
Max speed for the Vision-S 02 is “more than” 112 mph or 180 kph, down from the 149mph or 240 kph top speed of the 01.
Sony is not the first consumer tech brand to dive into the old world of automobiles. As early as 2014, it has been an open secret that Apple is developing a car. Lately, others have joined the fray with Xiaomi announcing a mass-produced all-electric model by 2024, LG creating a platform for other brands to make EVs, and Foxconn – Apple’s main assembly partner – has announced a venture with Yulon motors to make two passenger cars and one bus.
