While everyone was waiting in high-anticipation for news of the new Playstation, Sony shocked us all by unveiling an autonomous concept car.
The prototype, which has been given the name the Vision-S is a battery-electric vehicle and is part of Sony’s efforts to pursue safety, reliability, comfort and entertainment in the area of mobility.
Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said: “It’s not an exaggeration to say that mobile has been the mega-trend of the last decade. I believe the next mega-trend will be mobility.
“Sony will continue to evolve as a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology.”
With a look that isn’t too far removed from the all-conquering Teslas, the Vision-S comes with 33 sensors, including image and time-of-flight sensors to help detect and recognise people and objects, both inside and outside the vehicle. The car can also measure distances in real-time using the LiDAR technology which many of the major car brands are currently trialling.
Of course, with the car being able to drive itself there’s plenty of time for entertaining, an area which Sony excels in and the immersive sound experience of the Japanese company’s ‘360 Reality Audio’ is included, as well as a panoramic front display which can showcase a range of content.
The company, who have never actually produced a car before, have worked with Bosch, Continental, Genetex, Nvidia and Magna to develop the Vision-S, and while it looks like a car, it is being described as a place where ‘revolutionary in-car experiences’ take place at CES.