Sony Vision-S EV begins road test

The electric concept car is powered by a newly designed EV platform, gets a 360-degree audio, always-on connectivity, among other features

Sony has been a leader in the consumer electronics space for decades and has managed to chart its own course in developing new technologies. The global giant took everyone by surprise at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 when it showed an electric car named Vision-S. Sony President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida had unveiled the Vision-S electric concept car during a press event for CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

A Sony electric car? Why not? But will we ever see the Vision-S in public? While this question remains unanswered as of yet, the company is leaving no stone unturned to soar the curiosity around Vision-S.

And with time, the Sony EV is progressing fast. At the digital CES 2021, the electronics company revealed that its electric model is already being tested on public roads in Europe. The company stated that public road testing of the vehicle has commenced in Austria with partners to evaluate safety.

“Sony will continue to further develop the vehicle, and plans to conduct driving tests in other regions as well going forward,” the company said in a statement.

Sony shared two videos during this year’s virtual edition of CES and revealed new details about the design and engineering of the sedan, as well as the software used in it.

The company has added 40 sensors for autonomous driving in the vehicle as compared to the initially mentioned 33 sensors. The videos also show first version of the infotainment system, talk about over-the-air (OTA) updates, 5G and more.

Sony had earlier revealed that the Vision-S will also have 360-degree audio, always-on connectivity, among other features. One of the key features of the EV concept is the large infotainment screen that stretches across the entire dashboard.

The Vision-S is powered by a newly-designed EV platform, engineered by automotive supplier Magna. The sedan is quite stunning to look at, especially how it stands.

It has a resemblance to Porsche’s design language. The electric car reportedly has a 536hp dual-motor all-wheel-drive that can zip from zero to 100 kmph in less than five seconds and hit a top speed of 240 kmph.

The Vision-S, which is referred to as the electronics company’s pursuit of next generation of mobility, was built by Sony’s AI and robotics team, as per a report. As it is still a prototype, there is no indication that Sony intends to actually enter the retail automotive space anytime soon.

While the auto and tech lovers are keen to know more about the future prospects of this technologically advanced vehicle, the company remains tight-lipped about most of the details of its electric car. There is yet no word on if and when the car will be launched.

THE COMPANY HAS ADDED 40 SENSORS FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING IN THE VEHICLE AS COMPARED TO THE INITIALLY MENTIONED 33 SENSORS. A KEY FEATURE OF THE EV CONCEPT IS THE LARGE INFOTAINMENT SCREEN THAT STRETCHES ACROSS THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD