Honda and Sony will form a partnership to develop and sell electric vehicles, with the first model expected by 2025.
The two Japanese companies have signed a memorandum of understanding and plan to launch a new company before the end of the year.
Honda will be responsible for the manufacture of new vehicles and after-sales management, while Sony will develop a mobility services platform.
Toshihiro Mibe, CEO, President, Chief Executive Officer and CEO of Honda Motor Co., said that “the new company will aim to be at the forefront of innovation, evolution and expanding mobility worldwide, taking a broad and ambitious approach. to create value that exceeds customer expectations and imagination.
“Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technology expertise are very different. Therefore, I believe that this alliance that brings together the strengths of the two companies offers great opportunities for the future of mobility “, he continued.
An interesting project
Sony has shown a desire to enter the car space by 2020, when it unveiled the Vision-S concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). A year later, the technology company strengthened its approach by presenting a second vehicle at CES 2021 and announcing the launch of a mobility company.
Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, said: “Sony’s goal is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology. Through this alliance with Honda, we intend to build on our vision to make the mobility space emotional and to contribute to the evolution of mobility focused on safety, entertainment and adaptability. ”
“The collaboration will combine vehicle production, components and Honda battery production / assembly capabilities with Sony’s experience in imaging, detection, in-vehicle infotainment, connected and standalone technology,” said Bakar Sadik Agwan, senior automotive consulting analyst at GlobalData.
“Sony’s influence is more likely to be felt in the cab. With the transition from combustion engines to EV propulsion systems, carmakers will be looking for “in-cab” technology to differentiate their offerings, especially since the enhanced semi-autonomous functions give cabin occupants more time to focus on non-leadership activities. Here, Sony’s wealth of knowledge in the field of telecommunications, infotainment and UX design could help differentiate the future Sony car from rivals with less advanced cabin experience, ”the analyst continued.