CES 2020: Sony Vision-S concept car stuns

Can Japanese electronics giant Sony succeed where Apple and Dyson failed, by building a car?

The answer is yes. Sort of.

With a little help from the mob that builds the Toyota Supra, Austrian automotive problem-solvers Magna Steyr, Sony has done the unthinkable by actually delivering a vehicle – not just vapourware like the Apple and Dyson cars.

Indeed, Sony, created a sensation when it unveiled its latest high-tech gadget – a fully-driveable EV that has hints of the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model 3 in its exterior design – at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas overnight.

With its short overhangs and sporty profile, the squat sedan is based on a new EV platform supplied by Magna Steyr, and featuring componentry from Bosch, Nvidia, Continental, ZF and many others.

Simply put, the Sony Vision-S concept car was designed to showcase the brand's imaging and sensor tech for automous cars, and also its next-gen in-car entertainment systems, but the realisation of the vehicle has done much more than that.

"To deepen our understanding of cars in terms of their design and technologies, we gave shape to our vision," intoned Sony Corporation CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, at his keynote address at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

While the Sony supremo didn't say whether plans were underfoot to put the sporty-looking machine into production, the fact that the Japanese brand's robotics division has researched, developed and built a functioning EV (with a little outside help) sends a very strong signal.

Sony didn’t divulge any technical details of the car, such as what type of battery pack it has, how heavy it is or what sort of range it offers, leaving car-spotters to watch and wonder.

However, Yoshida's tone and indeed the group's alliance with automotive maestros Magna Steyr suggested the Sony Vision-S will not be a one-hit wonder.

"This prototype is built on a newly-designed EV platform, allowing for future applications in other vehicle types such as SUVs," stated the Sony CEO.

Best known for its high-end TVs, cameras and the PlayStation 4 video game console, of which more than 100 million are in use today, Sony also produces components for the automotive industry, namely sensors and imaging hardware required for autonomous driving functionality.

Having already been tested on the road, in order to adhere to safety regulations, the Sony Vision-S features 33 sensors dotted around the vehicle, including LIDAR, cutting-edge CMOS imaging sensors and 'sensor fusion' tech that combines all systems to ensure what the car sees is real and true.

"We are working to provide a wide range of technologies that can act as super-fast and intelligent eyes of a car," said Yoshida, whose concept car was arguably more of a surprise than the brand's long-awaited PlayStation 5 teaser.

"We are already seeing positive results. We will keep leading the industry with our imaging and sensing technologies that go a step beyond," he said.

Sony supplies sensor tech to several major Japanese car-makers, including Lexus, and used the Vision-S to show off new interior techno-doodads as well.

Sony talked up its 360 reality audio system that pumps music through the seat, and claims to deliver "…an immersive audio experience" according to Yoshida. There's also "…an intuitive human machine interface," with a crazy widescreen that stretches almost door-to-door which is sure to attract attention from car-makers.

As Sony clearly wants a piece of the automotive pie – whether through a brand-new car or just as a supplier – and is serious about improving the safety of modern vehicles, expect to see more details on its fully-driveable EV in due course.

Yoshida didn't hide his desire to see Sony playing a bigger role in the automotive space: "I believe the next mega-trend will be mobility," declared the Sony boss, who noted the previous decade's cultural catalyst were mobile devices.

"We will continue to pursue to the Vision-S initiative," concluded Yoshida, suggesting it will be a very interesting decade ahead.

Can the Sony Vision-S succeed where the Apple iCar failed? Watch this space.