Sony Surprised everyone at CES 2020 by introducing their first Prototype smart car VISION-S. Created primarily to showcase what Sony can bring to the table in terms of automotive technologies, the show car has been developed in collaboration with big names such as Nvidia, Continental, Bosch, ZF, and Qualcomm. The zero-emissions sedan is equipped with no fewer than 33 sensors to detect people and objects not just outside of the car, but also inside that modern four-seat cabin with individual rear seats and giant glass roof. Cameras, for example, can alert a driver about a nearby pedestrian even before he or she is visible, the company says. Sony's spatial audio system will also be installed in each individual seat within the car, and a giant panoramic screen for watching movies and TV will replace the traditional dashboard in the Vision-S.
Sony didn’t go into too many details about the sedan’s technical specification, but it did mention the Vision-S has a pair of 268-horsepower (200-kilowatt) electric motors enabling a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a swift 4.8 seconds and a decent top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h).
There are a few important reasons why pushing even more deeply into the automotive sector makes sense for Sony. First, it's audio and camera technologies are already making their way into vehicles, so creating a prototype car of its own is in some ways a natural expansion of those efforts. Certain car models from Ford including the Fiesta, Fusion, and Taurus, among others, have Sony's premium audio technologies built-in, for example.
There are a couple of good reasons why the car could be a prime candidate. First, the industry for connected and self-driving cars is expected to grow over the next three years. The global connected car market is projected to be worth $156.1 billion by 2023, according to research and consulting firm
Sony didn’t develop the Vision-S on its own as it teamed up with Magna Steyr – manufacturers of the Toyota Supra, BMW Z4, Mercedes G-Class – for the car’s platform. That being said, the company didn’t say a word about the chances (if there are any) of transforming the concept into a production vehicle, but we’re at least hoping it will be virtually available in Gran Turismo Sport