It was 2020 when Sony surprised the world, or at least CES attendees, with a show car. Called Vision-S Concept, it is an electric sedan that aims to drive alone and with the technology giant behind the project, we could say that more than a handful of people were hopeful that it would arrive in production.
A year later, Sony introduced the Vision-S to the public again, but this time in a public test in Europe, which naturally generated hope among aspirants for the production version. Sony is in fact constantly developing the concept, but it will not make it into production – at least not as a Sony brand car.
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That revelation came from a Sony spokesman who said Car and driver that the company “has no plans to mass produce or sell the vehicle”.
So yes, no matter how well-designed the Vision-S Concept was, it’s just a test for the automotive technologies of the future, particularly in terms of safety and reliability in autonomous driving, as well as enhancing in-car entertainment and general experience.
The Vision-S Concept currently features Tier 2+ autonomous vehicle features, limited to adaptive cruise control, its own parking system and automatic lane change. Obviously, the tech giant doesn’t stop there, with Level 4 in sight.
In terms of technology, the Vision-S Concept also touts a sophisticated stereo with the company’s 360 Reality Audio system, creating one sound sphere per person. Of course, with a 5G connection on board, playing video games while on the road is a must.
Image, optics and entertainment, among others – Sony is showing us that its technologies can transcend automobiles. Don’t be surprised if one day a standalone EV comes with Sony components. When that happens, you must remember that it was once a beautiful Sony brand car that took care of its development.