Everyone seems to want a piece of automating, and Sony is only the most recent company to announce it’s entering the auto industry.
Yes, the entertainment giant that brings you the televisions you love, the audio systems that have been amazing, and, of course, PlayStation consoles and games. Is it truly any wonder that a company that has had its fingers in every area of the technology advancements we’ve enjoyed during our lifetimes is ready to enter the automotive market when electric vehicles are at their hottest? It shouldn’t surprise you at all.
A Serious Presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show
During the CES show in Las Vegas, Sony made a huge splash with the announcement they would be entering automaking with a new line of electric vehicles. They are currently calling this a mobility unit, but what the brand was really showing us is a seven-seat all-electric SUV that could be the choice of many drivers in the future.
With the progress away from internal combustion engines and toward electric vehicles, the names you know are present, but new names are popping up in a space they have never been before.
Sony Hinted at this Move Two Years Ago
This wasn’t the first time that Sony brought a concept vehicle to the CES to show off as part of an electronics display. Sony hinted at entering the auto industry with a concept that was brought to this very same show only two years ago. That model was called the Vision-S, and it was met with excitement and applause by the crowd at the show. This was all Sony needed to know they were on the right track and could possibly make it in this new market with a vehicle that could show creativity and technology.
The newest SUV to make it to the show is called the Sony Vision-S 02, which simply tells you this is the second version of the concept model that we have seen. While we don’t know when this company will make its debut in the market to offer vehicles publicly, other names have paved the way to make this possible.
Tesla Shows Sony this Venture is Possible
The story of Tesla plays into the story of Sony by being the biggest of the electric car automakers to gain sales and popularity enough to be taken seriously. During 2021, Tesla sold nearly one million vehicles, making them the most valuable automaker in the auto industry right now.
The path that Tesla has laid out is being followed by other companies that are just starting out right now, including Rivian, Lucid, and Fisker. In fact, Rivian has gained enormous popularity and growth with their latest IPO that is financing their operations. Rivian also announced they would be building a new plant in Georgia to support their expanded lineup and show strength in the market.
Non-Automotive Companies Show Interest
The Sony story won’t simply follow the path of Tesla, but it will also follow a group of other names that you know that want to enter the auto industry but are not traditional names in this arena. A couple of these are Apple and Dyson, which you know from other ventures in electronics and technology.
Even though these other names are working toward potentially entering the automotive market, Sony is one of the first non-traditional names to show up with a vehicle, twice. It seems that Sony is certainly serious about getting into the mobility sector, and this company has the backing to get the job done.
Note: Dyson killed off its plans to be part of the auto industry, even after mapping out the manufacturing process, because founder James Dyson didn’t believe the company would be able to recoup the investment in a market that is more competitive than ever before.
Sony has the Cash to Enter the Auto Industry
“You have to spend money to make money” is an old saying that has rung true for many companies and has served as a warning to those that didn’t have the money required to weather storms when entering a new industry. Sony has plenty of cash. This company has nearly $31 billion in cash on hand and around $160 billion in market capitalization. That seems to be more than enough to get started on this new venture.
You Can Expect a Sony Vehicle to be Safe
A technology firm entering the automotive world seems to make perfect sense. We are seeing more technology used for the advanced safety systems of the vehicles we drive, and you bet that a Sony vehicle will offer the same. The SUV brought to the CES had a total of 40 sensors installed inside and out to keep the vehicle and passengers safe out on the road.
Early reports of the first version of the Vision-S Concept told us that it was going to be an autonomous vehicle, but this technology hasn’t been fully developed, and it hasn’t been approved by lawmakers for use on public roads yet. That doesn’t mean Sony has abandoned the idea of a self-driving version of this SUV, but it does mean they won’t have autonomous technology for driving any sooner than other automakers already in the industry.
Fun to Consider, but the Meat is Still Missing
It’s certainly entertaining to think about an entertainment and technology company that could become part of the automotive world and give us an interesting lineup of electric vehicles to drive. Will Sony become part of the auto industry? They certainly seem on the verge of making that a reality and creating at least one vehicle that could be brought to the world.
More details about the new Sony venture and the vehicle they want to build will come as the company continues to become more serious and enter into this area of the market. We just might get to enjoy driving a Sony SUV in the future, when this new concept finally makes its way to the production line, if it ever does.
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