Sony will explore launching the cars commercially. However, it is not decided whether the cars would be mass-produced.
Sony Group has unveiled plans to launch a new company unit, Sony Mobility, to plug into the rising demand for electric cars (EV). Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman and President of Sony announced this in a press conference. The unit will launch in spring.
Yoshida believes the company can merge its strengths in entertainment with its content mastery to redefine mobility. He said, “With our imaging and sensing, cloud, 5G, and entertainment technologies combined with our contents mastery, we believe Sony is well-positioned as a creative entertainments company to redefine mobility.”
Additionally, the unit will utilize its AI and robotics technologies to improve harmony between people and robots while contributing to society.
Following the announcement, the shares of the company jumped by 4.2% in Tokyo.
Sony Group Focused on Maximizing EV Safety
Sony remains one of the biggest entertainment companies. Despite threats to its market dominance by rival brand, Samsung Electronics, Sony still possesses sensor-related technology which is critical to autonomous driving. Its audio and entertainment systems are also key features of the next-generation cars.
The company first announced its intentions to produce an electric vehicle in 2020. Subsequently, it unveiled its prototype for the VISION-S 01 in 2021. Now, it has revealed its prototype for the seven doors VISION-S 02 in a video demonstration.
According to the Japanese conglomerate, it will explore launching the cars commercially. However, Yoshida noted that it wasn’t yet sure if the cars would be mass-produced.
Again, Yoshida said that “safety has been our No 1 priority in creating a comfortable mobility experience.” The video presentation also confirmed that safety is the priority in vehicle design. The car features more than 40 sensors installed within and outside the vehicle to monitor safety. The car will also use 5G connectivity, possess a 3-D sound system, and allow passengers to enjoy PlayStation videogames via a digital streaming service.
Tesla Dominance under Threat
With investors in Wall Street betting on electric vehicles to change next-generation mobility, many more companies will threaten Tesla’s leadership position in the auto industry. Tesla recorded milestone deliveries in 2021 but in the years ahead this number may reduce as more players enter the scene. Already, Toyota Motors announced plans to release $70 billion to convert its automobiles into electric vehicles by 2030. Likewise, there are suggestions Apple may launch its own vehicle soon.
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