The new Sony Group company will study the potential to enter the electric vehicle market, as the Group seeks to leverage its strengths in entertainment and sensors to play a bigger role in next-generation mobility.
Exploring a launch
The new company, Sony Mobility Inc, is a step toward the Group “exploring a commercial launch” of electric vehicles, Sony chairman and president Kenichiro Yoshida said ahead of the CES technology trade fair in the United States.
“With our imaging and sensing, cloud, 5G and entertainment technologies combined with our contents mastery, we believe Sony is well positioned as a creative entertainment company to redefine mobility,” he said.
VISION-S
Sony recently announced and exhibited an SUV-type prototype electric vehicle, named VISION-S 02, the latest iteration of a vehicle shown in CES 2020 . The vehicle uses the same EV/cloud platform as the 2020 prototype, the VISION-S 01, which is currently being tested on public roads. By offering entertainment experiences utilizing the large interior space and variations of a 7-seater, this new prototype will, together with VISION-S 01, promote the accommodation of a large variety of lifestyles within a society where values are becoming increasingly diversified, the company believes.
Entertainment giant
Sony remains one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies, home to prominent video game and movie franchises. Audio and entertainment systems are increasingly a focus for next-generation vehicles and the Group is expert in sophisticated technology in areas such as sensors critical to autonomous driving.
Yoshida said that Sony saw mobility as an “entertainment space” where passengers could chose individual entertainment options and use 5G internet connection.
In December, Toyota Motor Corp committed $70 billion to electrify its vehicles by 2030. Nissan plans to introduce 23 new electrified models by 2030.
