Sony unveils electric car equipped with autonomous driving tech

LAS VEGAS – Sony Corp. has unveiled the first prototype of an electric vehicle equipped with autonomous driving technology under its new Vision-S initiative.

The concept car, introduced Monday by Sony President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida at a media preview ahead of the annual CES consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, comes loaded with more than 30 sensors both inside and outside the vehicle to improve object detection.

Built to showcase Sony’s advanced automotive technologies, it also comes embedded with onboard AI technology and high-quality speakers for an immersive audio experience.

According to Sony, the vehicle will permit a certain degree of supplementary driving, such as auxiliary braking, as complete autonomous driving is difficult.

It plans to test drive the prototype on roads by March 2021 but said there are currently no plans for commercial sales or mass production.

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