Sony Group is likely to add new technology partners to its electric vehicle (EV) project to build a mobility business that transforms cars from transportation machines into entertainment spaces, a Sony executive told Reuters.

An ongoing shift towards electric cars, which are easier to build than internal combustion engine ones, is opening the door to new entrants into vehicle manufacturing. At the same time, autonomous driving and 5G connectivity are expected to transform the auto industry by transforming cars into mobile platforms for information and entertainment services.

“We see the risk of ignoring electric vehicles as greater than the challenge they pose,” said Izumi Kawanishi, senior general manager who will lead a new Sony Mobility business, in an interview. The coming transformation of cars is in some ways similar to how information technology turned phones into smartphones, he added.

Sony Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida announced the creation of this new mobility entity at the CES technology show in Las Vegas this month, proposing for the first time that the creator of PlayStation gaming consoles will try to turn an electric vehicle development project started two years ago into turning an EV development project into a money-making venture.

“We understand that speed is important to making a decision,” said Kawanishi, who joined the Japanese consumer electronics company in 1986 as a software engineer and heads the AI ​​Robotics unit that makes Sony’s Aibo pet robot.

Kawanishi declined to say if a final decision on whether to go ahead would come this year.

partner

So far, Sony has built two EV “Vision” prototypes with a factory in Austria owned by Canadian auto parts maker Magna International, which also makes cars for the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz and Toyota Motor.

Other members of the Europe-based project include German auto parts maker Bosch, French automotive technology company Valeo SE and Hungarian autonomous vehicle start-up AImotive.

To bring an electric vehicle to market, Sony would likely need to invest heavily in facilities and equipment. Tesla, which delivered its first electric vehicle in 2008, has spent billions of dollars making its business profitable.

Sony will also have to contend with traditional automakers like Toyota, General Motors, and Volkswagen AG, which are spending tens of billions of dollars to beat the EV newcomers.

Sony is among a growing list of tech companies exploring automotive opportunities, including iPhone maker Apple, South Korea’s LG Electronics, Taiwan’s Foxconn and China’s Alibaba Group

Sony will select new partners for its EV project based on the technology they can bring to the project, regardless of their nationality, Kawanishi said when asked if Sony would work with Chinese companies.

© Thomson Reuters 2022