Sony shows its first ever self-driving car prototype at CES 2020

Sony has shown its Vision S self-driving car at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES). However, Sony did not indicate when it plans to introduce the car to the public.

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CES 2020: The Vision S features always-on connectivity and 33 sensors inside and outside the car.

Sony surprised everyone by announcing a self-driving car at CES 2020, the world’s biggest tech show. Dubbed the Vision S, the prototype car will showcase Sony’s prowess in sensors and in-car entertainment technologies. However, Sony did not indicate when it plans to introduce the car to the public.

The Vision S features always-on connectivity and 33 sensors inside and outside the car. There are multiple widescreen displays and 360-degree audio. What’s more, there’s also a panoramic screen in place for the standard dashboard for entertainment purposes.

Sony also announced that it has partnered with a lot of brands and tech companies to make a prototype, including Bosch, Qualcomm, BlackBerry, Magna, Continental, and Nvidia. There aren’t many details available, but we do know that this is a self-driving car.

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In an interview with Financial Times, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida told the publication that the company is developing the “lidar” vision sensing technology – a crucial component of self-driving cars’ safety and functionality. Current-generation sensors used in self-driving cars are not only bulky but expensive as well. Sony, in contrast, wants has developed new “solid-state” lidar which will be more affordable, compact and resistant to vibrations.

Sony’s move into the autonomous vehicle tech and vehicle components business is a calculative mood. The Japanese company is already a leader in the image sensor business and Sony hopes to make it a big player in the autonomous vehicle market by supplying lidars and image sensors as a “package’ to carmakers. In fact, Sony is already in talks with key car makers such as Tesla to use its lidars and image sensors to build autonomous vehicles.

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