SONY’S ULTIMATE PLAY STATION?

Entertainment giant gives a peek of a vision it has of a smartcar of the future that would give the Porsches and Teslas a rev for their money

THIS YEAR, Japanese conglomerate Sony will release the ultimate iteration of its PlayStation multimedia console, the fifth-generation version that was rumoured to make its presence felt at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

This year marks the 26th anniversary of a genre defining move that put Sony on the map as a genuine alternative to gaming titans such as Sega and Nintendo, and it seemed a fitting place to unveil the next-generation in gaming and media at this year’s CES.

However, Sony took a bold move, not showing the PS5, but giving a glimpse into what it would look like if the company built a car.

VISION S CONCEPT

Sony does not plan on putting the Vision S into production any time soon.

This car is very much a showcase tool to show off what the brand is doing in terms of smart car technologies.

Sony, after all, is a key supplier to various OEMS, including Ford and Toyota and it wants to ensure it is the go-to brand for tech in the auto world.

On the cutting edge, the Vision S boasts smart styling on the outside, like a (kind of) squished Porsche Taycan.

It uses an electric power-train too, although Sony’s bosses didn’t disclose the specifications on what it would do performance-wise.

The company collaborated with several industry leaders to build the car, including Bosch, Continental, Genetex, Magna and Nvidia.

“We believe that the evolution of mobility will also redefine cars as a new entertainment space,” said Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida.

The highlights of the Vision S are the sensors and infotainment equipment. It’s fitted with 33 sensors inside and out, including state-of-the-art CMOS camera imaging equipment, and solid-state lidar and radar.

Sony also noted during the CES press conference that its CMOS sensors were already in use in several Lexus and Toyota models.

These sensors basically send information to a processor to locate objects and help guide the car on the road.

Of interest inside the car, Sony uses a time-of-flight sensor for monitoring all occupants. Essentially, however, this technology would aid in driver head-tracking to ensure they’re paying attention to the road.

Sony also noted that it can be used to recognise occupants and provide customised infotainment or content.

The Vision S has an enormous widescreen display across the dash, similar to the Honda E on display at the Frankfurt show last year, that provides instrumentation and infotainment.

Sony included a high-end sound system with speakers in every seating position to provide a surround-sound experience for every passenger.

“One thing Sony didn’t add was a PlayStation, which means you can’t drive cars in Gran Turismo while you’re in your potentially autonomous car,” joked tech journalist Airyl Jazsly from Gizmochina.

IT COULD BE BUILT

Yoshida specifically thanked Magna Steyr for its engineering help on designing the concept.

Magna is the specialist Austrian engineering company that manufacturers the Toyota Supra, BMW Z4, Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

The Verge reports that Magna could build this car, branded as another vehicle in the future; however, it’s more likely that you’ll see the safety and info tech in future Fords and Toyotas instead of a Sony car on the road.

In any event, Sony has proven that it’s able to disrupt and dominate in several niches, from gaming with its PlayStation, to entertainment, with its Spider-Man franchise.

There’s no doubt in my mind that if the company decided to build a car to take on the likes of Tesla and Porsche, it would certainly give the car brands a rev for their money.

For more information on cars and car technology from CES 2020, see our full report on IOL MOTORING.