Sony and Honda’s partnership that birthed the Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) first showcased Afeela at CES 2023. A lot has changed since that first showcase and Sony Honda Mobility is still optimistic of having the Afeela in the hands of consumers by 2025 and on United States roads by 2026.
Although not much has changed in terms of Afeela’s design, the software end of the sedan was the talking point. In fact, representative director, president and COO of Sony Honda Mobility Izumi Kawanishi drove the vehicle onto the stage in front of the excited audience using a PS5 dualsense controller.
“Today, I was sent here to present the first preview and update of Afeela,” said Kawanishi. “First, I would like to bring the latest prototype on stage. But today, I’ll be using this,” he said and pulled out a white dualsense controller from the back pocket of his pants to the amusement of the audience.
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“This is a PlayStation controller, dualsense. Using this controller, I’ll have to show you an aspect of the software behind the vehicle,” Kawanishi said.
Within a few seconds Kawanishi remotely steered the white sedan onto the stage to a rousing applause. However, he mentioned that the remote driving demo was only for the purpose of the CES showcase only, suggesting that the feature may not be available if—and that’s a big IF—the Afeela makes it to production.
Sony Honda Mobility wants to redefine mobile entertainment
On the outside, the Afeela looks like a regular all-electric sedan. However, on the software end, the magic happens. While on stage, Kawanishi introduced two concepts that will feature in Afeela namely “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space” and “AI for ADAS”. Both features will help Sony Honda Mobility to “Redefine the relationship between people and mobility”.
While the prototype that was showcased last year didn’t allow spectators to enter the sedan, that changed this time. Mat Smith of Engadget was able to step inside and have a feel of its infotainment system. Sony Honda Mobility has entered into myriads of partnerships to bring unique features to Afeela.
For example, Sony Honda Mobility is partnering with Microsoft to create a dedicated personal assistant for drivers and passengers. The conversational personal assistant will be built using Microsoft Azure OpenAI Services.
“To create our new user experience in mobility with vehicle data and sensing data, Sony Honda Mobility is developing new entertainment and gaming features utilizing virtual space with Epic Games,” Kawanishi said.
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Another announced collaboration was with Polyphony Digital, the developers behind the racing sim Gran Turismo. Kawanishi said the collaboration would help to “fuse the virtual and the real” environment, “mainly in the area of human senses and emotions by combining Polyphony Digital’s simulation technology with the development of actual vehicles by Sony Honda Mobility”.
While Afeela is not yet available to consumers to drive, thanks to the collaboration between SHM and Polyphony Digitals, gamers can have a feel of Afeela in Gran Turismo. The car will be added as a patch to the game later this year. Combining their technological know-how, Sony and Honda have equipped Afeela with noise cancellation that creates a quiet space on the go.
Can you play PS5 in Afeela?
Last year, we wrote a guide for people who want to play PS5 in their Tesla. Our guide detailed how you can hook up your physical PS5 in Tesla and enjoy your favorite titles like you would do at home. It soon became one of our most loved publications last year.
With the Afeela, the entire process will be a lot easier, thanks to remote play. However, like phones, tablets, or PCs, remote play requires a high bandwidth to run seamlessly. According to PlayStation, you need a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection with at least 5 Mbps speed to enjoy remote play and at least 15 Mbps for a better experience.
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When available, it is believed that the Afeela should be capable of Level 3 autonomous driving. In other words, the car can steer itself to a destination without human interference. Using its many sensors, it would be able to detect the driver and unlock the doors as they approach. It is important to mention that not all techs showcased at the CES make it to the consumer market. Keep that in mind.
