The Sony cable car is almost here . After its creation via a joint venture with Honda in 2022 and two years ’ worth of prototypes , the electronics giant ’s Afeela brandis finally require reservationsfor its first electric vehicle , with manner of speaking schedule to set forth in 2026 .
But will it be worth the postponement ? coincide with the opening of reservations , Sony Honda Mobility brought update prototypes of the Afeela 1 ( as it ’s now formally known ) toCES 2025 , representing what California client ( Afeela is only taking reservation in that land ) who put down a $ 200 refundable deposit can expect when they take manner of speaking .
This gave me the chance to finally baby-sit behind the wheel of the Afeela 1 , and while I was n’t capable to repulse it out of Afeela ’s booth in the erectile Las Vegas Convention Center , I did get to experience some of the technical school feature article that are really supposed to set this car asunder from other EVs . But that still left a hatful of question .
Tech-savvy design remains unchanged
In contrast to the many startups that have cannonballed into the EV pool in the wake of Tesla , Sony has taken a slow and methodical approach to launch its first motorcar . It announced that intention at CES 2020 with theVision S concept , an galvanizing sedan much like the Afeela 1 . It followed that up with theVision S-02 , an SUV , before teaming up with Honda and then announcing the Afeela brandat CES 2023 .
That makes this the third prison term Afeela has establish the car it plan to betray at CES , although 2023 ’s reading was more like a concept car , with a broad - stroke reading of the design instruction and planned feature of speech . Afeela lend a more graceful version to CES 2024 , and made few apparent changes to the version shown at CES this year .
The near - production - ready version maintains a rounded , estimator - mouse shape .
The dear - product - quick version sitting under spotlights and behind forget me drug at CES 2025 maintains the rounded , electronic computer - mouse physical body Afeela has used all along . It also retains the “ medium cake , ” a projection surface where the grille would normally be that let drivers display cutesy messages like “ Have a nice day ” or PlayStation video - game wallpaper , as well as a bump in the mall of the ceiling for a lidar social unit . However , it ’s now flanked by two tv camera angled to either side for maximal field of view . They ’re among 40 sensors for the Afeela ’s driver - aid features .
Inside , it ’s heavy to make out any difference from last year ’s prototype . The CRT screen spans the fascia and spills onto the doors . It ’s mounted high to keep it closer to the number one wood ’s line of sight , and Afeela employ a yoke - shape steering wheel to further maximise visibleness .
Interior is still just a screen and a steering wheel
It ’s now dependable to say that this really is the frame-up Afeela plans to go to product with , and at first glance it has some full point . I witness it easy to glance at even the far - correct constituent of the screen without tilting my head down or to the side , which explain why this design is being adopted not just by Afeela but by traditional auto manufacturer . Ford ’s versiondebuted on the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus sumptuousness SUV , and BMW annunciate itsPanoramic iDrivedisplay for future eV at this year ’s CES .
Like Ford and BMW , Afeela plan to bid in - fomite telecasting cyclosis and gaming — but with Sony content . you may even bring along your PlayStation restrainer and playGhost of Tsushimaor Gran Turismo while you wait for your cable car to charge .
The screen is the only agio - feeling thing in this nearly $ 90,000 railway car .
The Afeela 1 cabin also feels like it was designed around the screen . It ’s the only premium - feeling thing in this nearly $ 90,000 car , with impressive graphics and a bezel - less design that denigrate the split between the different segments of the display . That contrast a cabin that otherwise has no points of interest .
The dashboard presentation also has small winglets that project telecasting from exterior television camera . Automakerslike Audihave been hear to bring this tech to the U.S. for year , mainly for the aerodynamic benefit of supervene upon pull - inducing side mirror with small television camera pods , but have faced regulative roadblocks . But Afeela just kept the schematic mirrors , put off those issues , but also make the television camera unneeded .
UX is TBD
The Interior Department really comes active once you start engaging with some of the features on the concealment . Changing the background also commute the ambient lighting , and an audio system apply Sony 360 Spatial Sound Technologies produces an telling 3D issue whether you ’re listen to rain cats and dogs audio or watching Zanzibar copal on Crunchyroll . I did a bit of both with in - car apps that did n’t ask join a earpiece .
What I could n’t do was get a skilful sense of how well the cable car ’s voice assistant worked because it , well , did n’t . That , along with a piloting system that refuse to load , were reminder that the cars Afeela brought to CES 2025 are still prototypes .
This was peculiarly inopportune , because without any demonstration of different features or dependable comprehension , Afeela ’s vox supporter look similar to what ’s already useable fromAudi , BMW , Lexus , andMercedes - Benz . Like those feature , it ’s designed to assist drivers access basic vehicle functions , while responding to commands in a familiar manner . Unless it proves immensely superior in production cars , this wo n’t be much of a distinguisher from established brands .
Driver assist could make the difference
It ’s a similar story with the sophisticated machine driver - assistance system Sony designed for this railcar . This will be one of the Afeela 1 ’s marquise have , if for no other grounds than that the projection screen - dominated interior could be a deflect endangerment otherwise .
The railroad car ’s 40 sensors should at least declare oneself good reliableness . The number of sensors produce redundancy , and the commixture of sensor character ( radar , lidar , television camera , and ultrasonic ) come after the diligence - standard communications protocol of overlapping capability to assure there are no weak spot . It will also be interesting to see if Afeela has unfeignedly incorporate its lidar , unlike Volvo , which started sellingEX90 galvanizing SUVswithout trigger their roof - mounted lidar unit .
The automobile ’s 40 sensors should at least bid effective reliableness , creating redundancy .
Initially , though , Afeela only plans to volunteer Level 2 automation , mean driver can take their hands off the wheel but must keep their eyes on the route . A supervise detector mounted above the screen in the center of the splasher balk for this , just as it does in the Level 2 General Motors Super Cruise and Ford Blue Cruise systems already deployed in the U.S. The finish is to move up to Level 3 — let for eyes - off driving in some state of affairs — in the time to come .
Even Level 3 is n’t unprecedented . Mercedes - Benz brought itsDrive Pilot systemto market in 2023 ( albeit on a limited basis ) andHonda foretell its own systemat CES 2025 , which will go into railcar built at the same mill as the Afeela . Honda modernise its system severally , though , so it will be interesting to see how it compares to Sony / Afeela ’s .
What does this add up to?
That Afeela is preparing to bring the detector - studded , screen - fulfil EV that first appeared at CES 2023 to product is telling . It ’s just too regretful that the relief of the auto industry has already take hold of up .
Nearly every feature of the Afeela 1 — from its screen layout , to its ability to rain buckets television , to its voice realisation and number one wood assistance — is already offered or slated to be offered by survive auto manufacturer . And as a automobile , the Afeela 1 looks pretty ho - hum . It should be decently quick , but its estimated 300 - mil cooking stove is simply adequate and its 150 - kilowatt DC tight - charge up power rate just is n’t just enough for a motorcar this expensive . It ’s $ 89,900 foundation price is higher than that of aLucid Airor Tesla Model S.
A road test could prove that the Afeela 1 is more than it seems . It could handle nicer , provide more seamless connectivity , and more capable driver - assist features than the competition . Otherwise , it may not have much to offer that customers ca n’t already get from other brands . The Sony name only counts for so much .
