At CES 2023 in the United States, Sony and Honda revealed the first prototype of their Afeela electric vehicle. The joint venture showcased a vision for smart mobility backed by a strategy that integrates automotive hardware with advanced software ecosystems, highlighting the collaboration as a major milestone in consumer electronics meeting transportation. Reuters reported the event, noting the significance of the Afeela concept in shaping the future of connected cars.
The vehicle’s design and technology stack are built to run on products and platforms from Qualcomm. The announced in-car processor is designed to handle driver-assistance features while simultaneously streaming entertainment content, signaling a coordinated approach to safety, convenience, and in-car experience. The emphasis on a unified compute and sensor platform aligns with broader industry trends toward high-performance processing inside vehicles.
Yoshihide Mizuno, chief executive of Sony Honda Mobility, underscored that ongoing software updates and substantial computing power are essential to delivering reliable and evolving smart mobility solutions. His comments, captured by Reuters, reflect the company’s intent to keep the Afeela system up-to-date as automotive software ecosystems mature.
Introduced at CES 2023, the Afeela prototype features more than 40 sensors and cameras designed to support a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance and perception capabilities. Sony Honda Mobility, formed in the spring of 2022, has outlined a plan to begin deliveries of Afeela electric vehicles in 2026, signaling a multi-year ramp in production and software development. The company aims to integrate a broad sensor array with over-the-air updates and an evolving software platform to maintain a competitive edge in the crowded EV market.
In related automotive context, the long-standing dynamics of U.S. vehicle sales show the Ford F-Series as a perennial top seller, underscoring the scale and competition within the pickup segment. The market landscape for electric and smart vehicles continues to evolve as consumer demand shifts toward connectivity, efficiency, and new ownership models, with Afeela positioned as a notable entrant among traditional automakers and tech-forward startups.