Sony reveals Vision-S concept at CES 2020

MANILA: So, Sony has now started making cars. And to our disappointment, the car isn't controlled by a PlayStation controller. Instead, there is a conventional multifunction steering wheel. How is rude is that of Sony, huh? Jokes aside, Sony has indeed brought out an EV sedan at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020. Called, the Vision-S concept, the sedan features a dual-motor powertrain alongside Level 4 self-driving capabilities. Furthermore, Sony has propped up the car with imaging & sensing tech, artificial intelligence (AI), telecommunication, cloud computing, and whatnot!

The interesting and major reason behind the Japanese firm deciding to build the Vision-S concept remains to be automobile safety. As Sony says, the Vision-S concept is "designed with the goal of acquiring top scores in automobile safety tests around the world". On the outside, the Sony EV features an elegant approach towards its appearance. There slim upswept headlamps with a conjoining trim between the two units. The rear end sports another slim pair of taillamps, which are also connected. Black treatment on the bumpers, side skirts, and the roof provide the Vision-S with a sporty flair. At last, the 21-inch five-spoke chrome alloys wearing 245/40 and 275/35 tyres at the front and rear, respectively is what the EV rides on.

In terms of dimensions, the Sony Vision-S concept stands 4,895 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, and 1,450 mm tall. The wheelbase, on the other hand, measures 3,000 mm. The sedan sports air suspension and a double-wishbone setup at both front and rear. Powering the Vision-S concept are two 200 kW electric motors. While one motor powers the front axle, the other serves juice to the rear. Total power output is rated at 536 hp, and the Sony Vision-S concept is claimed to do a 0 to 100 kmph run in just 4.8 seconds before topping out at 240 kmph. While Sony hasn't revealed any official figures, the EV may boast a single-charge range of 454 km.

Coming on to the most advanced and interesting part of the Sony Vision-S concept, the EV flaunts what the carmaker calls "Safety Cocoon". The high-tech safety suite comprises of 33 automotive-grade sensors including 12 cameras, 17 ultrasonic & radar sensors, and three solid-state lidar sensors. Thanks to the array of gadgets, the Vision-S gets Level 2 driver assistance and some nifty goodies like advanced cruise control, 360-degree traffic monitoring, self-parking, automatic lane-changing, and even more. The carmaker has claimed that the car will boast Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities in the future courtesy of over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

Just like the outside, the inside of the Sony Vision-S concept is loaded with numerous sensors which monitor the facial expressions and body movements of the driver and, as a result, process the data and display alerts and notifications. The whole length of the dashboard flaunts a screen and there are also large screens for the passengers on the rear seat for entertainment. Thanks to the Vision-S Link, the EV stays connected and interacts with various mobile devices and cars at once. music and maps on the mobile device are automatically synchronised and displayed/played in the car. And, with OTA updates, the features are only going to improve and expand.

What do you say about the Sony Vision-S concept then? The EV does look promising and should be a hit if Sony decides to build production models and sell them around the globe, or at least in Japan for a start. Anyway, even though a final production model of the Vision-S concept is highly unlikely to come out, we'll still keep our hopes high.

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