Over the past few years, Sony has unveiled a concept vehicle more than once. Twice, the company acknowledged it had no intention of getting into the car business and producing a model; the third time, it announced that the latest evolution of its concept, the Vision-S 02, would one day hit the road.
Last Friday, a press release added weight to this plan, annnouncing a partnership between the entertainment giant and Honda... which still has no electric models of its own, as it happens. In fact, an SUV named Prologue is expected in 2024, the result of an existing partnership with General Motors (GM), but that's about it for now. A sister SUV will also be coming from Acura, we should add. Both SUVs will benefit from GM's Ultium technology.
Now, Sony and Honda have confirmed that they will work together to produce electric vehicles in a new joint venture.
"Specifically, the two firms will establish a joint company to develop and sell high-value electric vehicles through the new entity, and they will also provide mobility services," Honda said in a statement.
"Sony's goal is to add joy to people's lives through creativity and technology. Through the alliance with Honda, we aim to contribute to the evolution of mobility by focusing our efforts on the three areas of safety, entertainment and adaptability," Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said in the release.
And when should we expect a Sony-Honda vehicle on the road? We'll have to be patient, but we'll keep our eyes open at upcoming in-person auto shows. Yes, authentic auto shows, because normal life seems to be starting again for good.