Afeela EV Car: Honda and Sony duo Officially Confirmed their New Electric Car Brand

Sony Honda Mobility Inc. has finally unveiled its first new car EV automobile. The Afeela concept EV sedan was introduced at CES 2023 in Las Vegas by the joint venture between the entertainment behemoth and the new automotive icon with the intention of “shifting the idea of what an electric car may be.” Although it presents a significant hurdle right away, the concept’s initial renderings didn’t let down and provided auto enthusiasts additional cause for excitement.

The partnership for new car appears to be a tremendous winner on paper. Sony, a major player in consumer electronics, can contribute its technological prowess and user-centric skills, while Honda can round out the sorely lacking in- EV environment. The Afeela, however, is less about driving and more about the typical characteristics one connects with an electric car. It is more about the linked world of software and networking. The Afeela brand will introduce a new range of vehicles from this sedan, according to Sony Honda Mobility Inc. The launch is anticipated to occur in 2026.

This new car has a tonne of technology within it, including up to 45 cameras and sensors both inside and outside the EV car and 800 TOPS of peak computing power for the ECUs. SHL and Qualcomm Technologies have teamed together to employ the digital Snapdragon chassis provided by Sony-Honda in Afeela, which is used for vital operations like AD/ADAS, HMI/IVI, and telematics, to operate all of this technology on board the electric vehicle.

Source: Pexels.com

According to Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated, “the way we experience our electric car is evolving as the automotive continues to become more connected and smarter.” New mobility experiences and services are made possible by the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which serves as the framework for next-generation software-defined new car by Sony-Honda called Afeela. To actualize our common vision for the future of the EV, we look forward to partnering with Sony Honda Mobility.

It’s interesting to note that the Afeela platform has gained additional mobile-focused features in addition to the addition of a digital Qualcomm chassis. The goal of Sony Honda Mobility Inc., which of course includes the Metaverse, is to “seamlessly link the actual and virtual worlds.” The company contacted Fortnite creator Epic Games, who will apparently be developing an augmented reality navigation application utilising Afeela’s sensor in the new car, to offer a chance to explore new entertainment alternatives in the EV electric car.

The CTO of Epic Games, Kim Libreri, said, “At Epic, we have a passion for vehicles and the new car EV sector, and we couldn’t be happier to see Sony and Sony Honda Mobility (Afeela) enter the revolutionary world of mobility and electric car technology.” “We are excited to share with you fantastic news in this ground-breaking sector, together with them,” they said.

Similar to the Hyundai Ioniq, the new car by Sony Honda’s Afeela is conventional and follows the typical EV design cues that auto aficionados have grown accustomed to, such as aerodynamically improved wheels and a swoopy shape to optimise available autonomy. A light bar and digital mirrors complete the car’s clean yet futuristic appearance, which is streamlined with little hassle. With an obvious aim on appealing to a larger palate to be a general sort of electric car, it doesn’t seem as crisp as a Tesla.

Although the new car Afeela EV has a simple canvas inside, it is even more tech-obsessed electric vehicle; Boost, OTA updates, and Level 3 autonomy are also there. The inside experience is defined by a multitude of cameras, sensors, and cloud-based connection, with a steering wheel that resembles a Tesla added for some extra flavour. Yasuhide Mizuno, Representative Director, President, and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Inc., stated to visitors at CES 2023 that the design of this prototype “aims to generate new values for mobility.” an event where the components changed We have reexamined and polished the originality and form of prior vehicle design, from a car’s power and performance to software, connection, and user experiences, to stress the core values and sublimate them in a pure and powerful design.

Afeela is a mobility solution tool, not simply an “electric car”, according to Sony Honda Mobility Inc. In the future, linked and autonomous new cars will become increasingly prevalent, but Sony and Honda won’t be the only ones to revolutionise the automobile. There are already a lot of opponents vying for that EV position. What additional long-range EVs ought to be included in the mix, then? At the CES 2023, which got underway today in Las Vegas, Sony created a stir. With its impending partnership with Honda, the IT behemoth is prepared to enter the automobile industry. During a press appearance at CES 2023, Sony and Honda unveiled the prototype of their forthcoming electric car. The vehicle is called Afeela.

Afeela showcased at CES 2023 

At the occasion, the EV was elegantly introduced, and footage of it are trending online. The innovative concept new car has 45 cameras and sensors spread across the inside and outside of the car. The electric car has a tiny multimedia screen between the headlights that gives it a sophisticated appearance. Sony Honda Mobility’s CEO, Yashuhide Mizuno, stated that after displaying the prototype, work would begin on its mass manufacturing. He stated, “As security and protection are crucial for mobility, we will combine sensors from Sony and cybersecurity from Honda together with other smart technologies in Afeela,” stating that the team “expects to start collecting pre-orders in the first half of 2025 and start selling later that same year.”

First Shipment to North American customers 

According to Yashuhide Mizuno, the first shipment of the new car Sony Honda Afeela will be sent to consumers in North America in the spring of 2026. Japan and Europe will follow at a later time. Pre-orders for the electric car will start to be accepted in 2025.

Comes with a built-in PS5? 

According to reports, Sony Honda Afeela EV will include a built-in PS5, which would be a complete joy for gamers. The same has not yet been verified, though. Given that Sony is engaged in the production of this new car (EV), an upscale audiovisual experience is anticipated to be included inside. Speaking about the PS5, Sony’s Jim Ryan declared that anyone looking to purchase a PS5 in 2023 “should be able to obtain one” and that the console scarcity may have finally ended. The “largest month ever” for sales, according to PlayStation, with over 30 million copies sold to far. CES 2023, which runs until January 8th, is a yearly exhibition of cutting-edge technology innovation from all around the world.

The announcement that the legendary EV and electronics manufacturers were joining forces to create a battery-electric car stunned the globe in March 2022. Less than a year after its introduction, Sony Honda Mobility hit the stage at CES 2023 to formally introduce its first prototype of Afeela. In June, the new car project separated into its own business. The Afeela has replaced the Vision-S 02.

Source: Pexels.com

In addition to having a total of 45 cameras, the forthcoming new car boasts 14 outside cameras, according to Sony Honda’s Afeela officials! — in addition to a “media bar” located on the grille that shows pertinent cargo and electric car data, “allowing smart mobility to express itself through light to those around it and enable interactive contact between the EV and people,” according to a statement released on Wednesday. Online pre-orders will start in mid-2025 ahead of the anticipated spring 2026 delivery, according to SHM.

The “Afeela” electric car brand, which Sony and Honda are launching, is powered by Qualcomm technology. Consumer electronics behemoth Sony and major manufacturer Honda announced their EV joint venture last year, which will launch a new line of new cars. According to the terms of the arrangement, Honda would be in charge of the actual car production while Sony would be in charge of the technology elements. The prototype of Sony Honda Mobility Inc.’s new automobile brand was unveiled at CES 2023. The upstart manufacturer’s desire to support mobility-based innovation sets it apart from the established automakers. Afeela represents the “feeling” that ought to be at the “heart of the mobility experience,” claims the press release. The Snapdragon Digital Chassis SoC from Qualcomm Technologies will be used in upcoming models from Afeela and SHM. These chips will enable telematics, modern entertainment features, and sophisticated driving systems in automobiles. The business will create the vehicle’s interfaces using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine technology.

In the concept Sony Honda Afeela EV, a “media bar,” a slender strip between the headlights, replaces the digital design. By engaging with others outside the new car, the bar may show a variety of information, including weather, battery status, and more. A large panoramic touchscreen is located within and spans the whole dashboard of the electric car. With a focus on its digital elements, the remainder of the car’s interior is spare. On the other side, a spaceship serves as the inspiration for the external design.

The Sony Honda Afeela EV aspires to deliver a variety of Level 3s that, if implemented on a large scale for commercial use, should seriously compete with the existing Level 2 driver aid technologies. The Tier 3 system, however, is still in development and only utilised in a few new cars. Even Tesla only currently provides Autopilot and FSD Beta with Level 2 autonomy. 45 cameras and sensors have been fitted both inside and outside the prototype electric car. To prevent accidents, time-of-flight (TOF) sensors and in-car cameras monitor driver behavior. Qualcomm chips power the system.

Using cloud connectivity, the EV will also tailor the user experience based on the preferences of the driver. Through Augmented Reality (AR) technology, SHM aims to provide intuitive navigation via sensor improvements. Sony Honda Mobility wants to include people from the creative and electric car industries in its smart mobility initiatives. Afeela’s performance will be continuously enhanced by over-the-air software upgrades supplied through 5G. Pre-orders will start in the first half of 2025, and Sony and Honda have confirmed that the commercial version will be based on this new car prototype. Afeela will start to be delivered in North America in the spring of 2026.

Sony Honda Mobility debuted its first EV brand Afeela

Afeela is the name of the first EV brand that Sony Honda Mobility has introduced. The JV has also created a brand-new car concept with a sedan body design. When the EV ultimately debuts in North American markets in 2026, it will be the first model to bear the Afeela branding. It is now in the prototype stage. Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, mentioned Afeela as his corporate brand during the introduction, saying that it embodies the notion of a “interactive connection where individuals feel the feeling of interactive mobility.” By merging the strengths of the two Japanese industrial titans in fields like artificial intelligence, entertainment, virtual reality, and augmented reality, the joint venture hopes to accomplish this. The business intends for the three primary themes of the Afeela brand electric car to be autonomy, augmentation, and affinity. The business also emphasised its collaboration with Qualcomm, which will create a new line of in-vehicle chipsets under the Snapdragon name and power several electronics and electrical parts in the future Afeela EV.

Although details about the EV’s drivetrain are unknown, on behalf of Sony Honda Afeela, Mizuno emphasised the active safety elements of the new car. 45 sensors, including cameras, radar, ultrasound, and lidar, will be placed all over the outside of the Afeela EV to allow autonomous driving. The electric car that is now on show, however, is a direct descendant of the earlier Vision S prototypes. The new electric car under the Afeela brand has a streamlined lightbar appearance with an advanced multimedia display next to the headlights. The car can connect with individuals and society thanks to this design aspect, claims Mizuno, by presenting various data and interactive images. The interiors will also provide a fantastic audiovisual experience, maybe drawing on Sony’s competence in the area. Another rumour is that a PS5 will be built right into the cabin.

About the Author

Ahsan Azam is the author who specializes in avionics as well as research writing. The author has a keen attention to detail and is focused on providing interesting content to the readers.

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