Lots of tech companies have mooted the idea of building cars, and most end up either scrapped or stuck in development hell, but Japanese electronics giant Sony nearly has its move into the automotive world – the Afeela 1 – ready to go.
Perhaps sensibly, Sony’s not gone it alone. It has a small car company called – checks notes – Honda on board to help develop the electric Afeela 1, the two teaming up to form Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) in 2022 after Sony showed off a concept called the Vision-S back in 2020.
Afeela 1 – front
We saw a prototype in 2023, and this is the final production car, which has been unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – an event increasingly favoured by the new breed of EV manufacturers over stuffy old motor shows for showing off their wares.
And to hammer home how much of a CES kind of car this is, we have no powertrain or performance specs yet, but lots and lots of info on its tech. This includes – count ’em – 40 different sensors that feed info to the car’s suite of driver assists, an interactive personal assistant, and something called the 3D Motion Management System that’ll actively adjust the car’s suspension, braking and throttle response as well as use robotics to adjust the driver’s posture and make everything as comfy as possible.
Afeela 1 – interior
It also has a yoke instead of a steering wheel, so good luck navigating multi-storey car parks.
Sony, in case you didn’t know, is already quite good at making things like sound systems and video game consoles. The Afeela 1’s sound system uses the company’s 360 Spatial Sound tech, and its infotainment screen runs on the Unreal Engine.
Afeela 1 – infotainment
Most intriguingly, the car’s pumped-in electric motor sound is being composed by Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital. We’re sure there’s a joke somewhere about GT4’s infamously naff engine sounds. The prototype already appears in GT7, having been added in an update last year.
In terms of traditional car stuff, we know there’ll be two trim levels – Origin and Signature – and that a range of 300 miles is being targeted. It’s likely to use Honda’s own in-development electric powertrains underneath and will be chargeable on Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Afeela 1 – rear
Confirmed for both Japan and the US, although initially just California, residents of the sunshine state can reserve an Afeela 1 now, with the Origin starting at $89,900 (around £72,000) and the Signature at $102,900 (around £82,000). Deliveries in Japan, meanwhile, are planned for 2026. There’s no word on possible European sales yet.
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