A joint venture between Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor called Sony Honda Mobility Inc, formed in June this year, revealed details about its firstborn – a high-tech electric car. Accepting orders for it will open in 2025, and in 2026, full-fledged sales will begin, including via the Internet. In the joint venture, it is characterized as a “smartphone on wheels”. Honda is responsible for the “automotive” part of the project, including the platform, and Sony will provide the electric car with software and electronic systems.
Sony Honda Mobility Inc intends to receive income from car users on a monthly basis: a paid subscription to a wide range of services, including entertainment, will be offered for it. Sony will provide the software, onboard controllers, and access to the cloud service.
Also in the area of responsibility of the tech giant are sensors for the third—level autonomous driving system. It allows you not to follow the road while driving on the highway, but the driver must be ready to return to control at any moment.
Honda will decide which architecture will form the basis of the electric car, and will also choose suppliers of traction batteries and power plant elements. The car from Sony and Honda will presumably be produced at one of the Japanese brand’s factories in Ohio, USA. Sales will start in the United States and Japan in 2026, and subsequently, the electric car can reach Europe — it is reported that both companies are considering this option.
Last week, Honda showed an electric Prologue crossover with a “stuffing” from General Motors. The models got two-tone 21-inch wheels with six petals and a laconic interior with a freestanding 11-inch “tidy” screen. Technical specifications have not yet been disclosed, but it is known that the modification with all-wheel drive will definitely have a novelty.
Source: Reuters