Sony and Honda, a joint venture, plan to launch their first electric vehicle by 2026. Sales will begin in the US and Japan. But what makes it unique is that it comes with a new software system developed by Sony that comes at a premium price and is available on a subscription basis. It adds a way to generate recurring revenue from entertainment and other services.
Image Credits- ET Auto
Sony Honda Mobility’s update on the partnership is the first since the two companies launched the project in June. Key specifications, pricing, battery size and even the new vehicle’s platform have not been decided, but representatives of the new company have detailed their vision of a vehicle that functions as a portable smartphone. Sony will integrate the software system for the new car from on-board controllers to cloud-based services with entertainment and payment systems.
For Level 3 autonomous driving, it offers sensors and other technologies that allow drivers to pay more attention to content and software services. With Level 3 systems, also known as limited self-driving automation, drivers can drive without looking at the road or holding the wheel in highway driving, but must be ready to take back control.
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Tesla, General Motors, Ford Motor Co and Mercedes-Benz all offer hands-free driving assistance systems. “As safe driving technology advances and the amount of attention required to drive decreases, we must generally consider new ways to spend time in the cabin and enjoy it,” said Izumi Kawanishi, president and CEO of the joint venture. by Sony.
Honda will decide the platform the new vehicle will use and details such as the battery supplier. The yet-to-be-named EV could be manufactured at one of Honda’s plants in Ohio. Honda, like its biggest rival Toyota Motor, has been slow to convert its fleet to electric. In the luxury vehicle market, the Acura brand has struggled over the years to make a profit.
Yasuhide Mizuno, chairman and CEO of the association and a senior Honda executive, said the project is important for Honda to build a “long-term relationship” with its car buyers as the vehicle shifts to become a more connected device. According to Mizuno, Honda in 2010 He believes 2025 will be a critical year in the transition to EVs in the US market and the joint venture should hit that opening despite a compressed development cycle for the new EV.
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