Sony Pushes Development Of Vision-S EV With Public Road Tests

Sony’s Vision-S, one of the most unexpected debuts at last year’s CES, was said to be a concept only, and that the company had no intent to mass-produce it. Then back in July, the Japanese conglomerate said that it would begin road trials of a prototype version at the end of the year.

Fast forward to this week’s CES 2021, and Sony has confirmed that it completed the first real world testing of the electric car in December while continuing its further development.

Sony has created a set of insightful new videos which feature the Vision-S’s research and testing process, two of which involve the car driving on both private and public roads. To better fill us in on its development, there is a more in-depth third video that reveals more details on how Sony brought the car to life. The footage, along with a some additional information on their website, suggests that Sony and its partners have been developing the vehicle more than we might have originally thought.

Read: Sony Vision-S Will Enter The Road-Testing Phase This Fiscal Year 

The first of such developments include the sensors, which Sony says have increased in number to 40, and now enable 360-degree awareness, among other things. Sony also indicated that a few other features are in development, such as over-the-air updates, a voice assistant, gesture control, passenger entertainment systems, and and an occupant-monitoring camera.

See Also: Sony And Yamaha Team Up For Autonomous Electric Shuttle

On to that camera, it seems to be surprisingly complex and capable. For example, it can be used to identify a passenger’s alertness, and if it detects they’re asleep, the car will automatically adjust that seat’s climate control for a more comfortable environment. More broadly, according to the Japanese electronic giant, the more you use the system, the more it adapts to your driving style and preferences, and uses that data to make the driving experience as pleasant as possible.

Another piece of tech worth noting in the video  is the center infotainment screen, which has a unique interface featuring a series of tiles more akin to apps than the traditional menus and submenus that exist in cars today.

As for those aforementioned partners, the video includes some pretty big-name firms that seem to suggest Sony means business with the Vision-S. Such firms include AIMotive, Bosch, Continental, Elektrobit Automotive, Magna Steyr, Valeo, Vodafone and ZF Group.

Read More: Is Sony’s Vision-S Prototype Too Well Thought Out To Remain Just A Concept?

All of this begs the question: Why would a company invest so much money, time, and resources into a project that they had no intent of producing? The most obvious answer without stretching too far is that Sony is using the Vision-S as a test bed and a showcase for its automotive technologies. However, given the rapid developments in the automotive industry these days with the shift to electrification, one cannot completely rule out the possibility of the Japanese giant building the vehicle.

For now, we know that Sony will continue to further develop the vehicle and that it plans to conduct driving tests in other regions going forward. The footage detailing the car’s development can be viewed below.