Recently, Sony and Honda announced they were teaming up to create an electronic vehicle. Now the two companies have unveiled their joint brand, Afeela. The brand was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
An Afeela prototype was shown on stage at the show and features a sleek design. Roughly the size of a Tesla Model S, the prototype has a stylish, minimalist exterior. The car’s exterior is accentuated by a Media Bar, which allows the driver to communicate with the world around them. Featuring a full-colour display, the media bar can display images and lights as a form of communication. Additionally, status updates, such as how charged the battery is, can be displayed across the media bar when the car is not in use. However, the media bars could likely serve as mobile advertisements in the future.
The Afeela’s interior also appears minimalist, with four displays across the dashboard. The bright white yoke-style steering wheel and singular dial on the center console give the Afeela a futuristic look. Additionally, two screens will act as digital side-view mirrors if the design passes federal regulations.
Afeela will Compete With Tesla
Much like Tesla, Sony and Honda are also focusing on developing their vehicle with an auto-drive feature. The Afeela will feature 45 cameras and sensors in tandem with safety technology developed by Honda to allow for Level 3 automated driving under specific conditions. Additionally, the vehicle will utilise AR technologies and Sony and Honda are partnering with Epic Games to help with the AR integration. Preorders for the Afeela will be available in early 2025, with the vehicle likely to launch the following year.
According to rumours, the Afeela may also feature a PS5. This would put Sony and Honda in direct competition with Tesla. Musk’s company recently rolled out an update that brings Steam integration to newer Tesla models, making all Steam Deck-compatible titles available within the vehicles.
