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Sony rolls out its first ever electric car prototype at CES


Sony rolls out its first ever CAR: Electric prototype is decked out in ‘360 degrees’ of sound and sensors and a ‘panoramic’ in-dash entertainment screen

  • Sony shocked its keynote crowds at CES on Monday night with the debut of the entertainment tech giant’s first-ever car 
  • Chief executive Kenchiro Yoshida highlighted the prototype’s ‘adaptability’ and entertainment capacity 
  • It features ‘360 degree’ audio capabilities and a panoramic dashboard screen 
  • Vision S purportedly has sensors that cover its entire interior and exterior 
  • Its announcement followed the underwhelming unveil of the PS5’s logo and some vague specs – but not the gaming system’s much-anticipated hardward 

Sony has debuted its first-ever car – or at least a prototype sturdy enough to drive to center stage – replete with sensors for safety and a panoramic dashboard screen for mobile entertainment. 

The so-called Vision S was the highlight from left field during Sony’s otherwise underwhelming Monday night keynote presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas

Its announcement followed the unveiling of the logo for the PlayStation 5, but not the much-anticipated gaming system hardware as well as a broadly-brushed recap of the company’s sensor, camera and safety products. 

Sony hinted that the Vision S prototype is designed to be an ‘EV,’ or electric vehicle, and highlighted its ‘adaptability’ and continuous cloud updating capabilities. 

In an unexpected and unprecedented move, Sony unveiled the Vision S, an 'EV" car decked out with sensors, 360 degree sound and panoramic screens at CES on Monday (file)

In an unexpected and unprecedented move, Sony unveiled the Vision S, an ‘EV” car decked out with sensors, 360 degree sound and panoramic screens at CES on Monday (file) 

‘We are excited at about the road ahead,’ quipped Kenchiro Yoshida, Sony’s chief executive, from the CES stage. 

As the tech goliath’s presenters had done to lesser effect with the PS5 logo, Yoshida led with the Vision S’s sleek logo. 

But then, the logo appeared in three dimensions, stretching across the entire front of the prototype sedan and bisecting its headlights. 

The silver model features a panoramic sun roof, what appear to be carbon ceramic brakes and a plush interior. 

Of course, as the brain child of an entertainment technology company, the real stars of the Vision S are its audio and visual capacities and less conspicuous but equally advanced sensor technology. 

While there was no mention of self-driving, Yoshida did boast the car’s ‘oval sensing’ technology, which he said detects objects and movement ‘inside and out.’ 

It comes after a long line of sensor-heavy robotic pets and a car safety ‘cocoon’ that marked Sony’s foray into AI-infused motion detection and protective technology – and perhaps paved the way to its new automotive prototype. 

Yoshida said that Sony envisions ‘cars as the new entertainment space,’ and is focusing on not just mobile technology but ‘mobility technology.’

Sony unveiled a number of collaborators for its prototype, including Continental Automotive and a number of tech and telecomm companies

Sony unveiled a number of collaborators for its prototype, including Continental Automotive and a number of tech and telecomm companies 

Vision S’s interior is equipped with speakers designed and placed to create a ‘360 degree’ audio experience. 

Its extra-wide dash appears to display multiple interactive frames – perhaps including a feed of the car’s exterior for safety and of entertainment for passenger enjoyment. 

Yoshida described the vehicle as EV – presumably, an ‘electric vehicle’ – and stressed its ‘adaptability.’ 

 The tech giant’s collaborating partners featured predominantly the names of other telecomm and tech shops like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Magna, Bosch and Blackberry. 

But Vision S’s ‘adaptability’ could suggest a base or chassis that could be outfitted with different body styles, such as the sedan prototype or a crossover SUV, perhaps manufactured by the named luxury car company, Continental Automotive. 

Tesla has seen great success integrating high tech, sustainability and the most American of inventions, the car, but it’s a tough time to enter the automotive industry, which saw a decline estimated between 1.6 and three percent from 2018 to 2019, according to CNBC Markets.  

 



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