With most, if not all, vehicle manufacturers making moves toward electric vehicles many are forming alliances with tech companies to integrate four wheels with both electric and communication technology. SUVs make up the largest portion of today’s driving market, so it is only logical that the electric suv will be a top priority for the industry. Sony and Honda announced their partnership in 2022 and just unveiled the concept Afeela EV SUV at CES 2023.
That Car Lady, Lynn Beckwith
If you think your vehicle is complicated now, just hold on to your steering wheel for everything that is making its way in the upcoming models. Notably, Sony announced that the new Afeela EV electric suv will sport 14 exterior cameras with a total of 45 cameras and sensors on board. Much of Afeela EV’s technology is focused on driver comfort and entertainment.
In addition to information panels in the cabin, the Afeela EV will also carry an external “Media Bar’ at its grille to display pertinent charging and vehicle information allowing this electric suv to communicate to other vehicles and people.
You will have to wait until 2025 to pre-order the Afeela and production models are scheduled for release in the US 2026.
“At the heart of this mobility experience is the word ‘feel,’” Mizuno said, explaining that focus will be on sensing and interacting with people.
CNN Business
There is some irony in Afeela’s proclamation that their interior has been “designed to be as simple as possible minimizing distraction ornamentation and colors.” Indeed it is monotone, but will the information and entertainment area that stretches all the way across the dash really provide less distraction? According to Afeela’s site it represents “mobility space into entertainment space by seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds.”
Mobility space into entertainment space by seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds. To begin with, SHM has started to build new values and concepts for mobility with Epic Games.
The interior is based on a gentle rounded tone, wrapping the occupants in a soft cocoon. Not only is the atmosphere comfortable, but has been designed to be as simple as possible, minimizing distracting ornamentation and colors. We aim to realize a people-centric experience that provides functionality that people want.
Afeela News
From Afeela News:
Autonomy
- We will provide pleasant mobility space founded on safe and secure technologies.
- We aim to develop Level 3 automated drive under limited conditions and to enable Level 2+ driver assistance in even more situations such as urban driving.
- We plan to use the SoCs*1 from Qualcomm Snapdragon Digital Chassis for 800 TOPS*2 maximum computing performance as hardware.
- Our prototype is equipped with a total of 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle. In-car cameras and Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors*3 detect the driver and car’s situation to help avoid accidents.
Augmentation
- A new HMI*4 will be introduced, providing a personalized in-car experience through cloud-service connectivity, realizing entertainment beyond driving.
- We aim to evolve mobility space into entertainment and emotional space, by seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds, and exploring new entertainment possibilities through digital innovations such as the metaverse. We have started to build new values and concepts for mobility with Epic Games.
- We aim to provide intuitive navigation through augmented reality (AR) using our sensing technology.
Affinity
- We will build an open community for not only customers, but our automotive industry partners, leading players in other industries, and the creative community which will take on the challenge with us to create new mobility entertainment.
