Electronics company Sony has unveiled the Vision S electric car concept at the CES 2020 tech show, surprising people in attendance.
Sony featured the Vision-S electric car concept at the tech show to showcase the company's sensors and in-car entertainment technologies. The automobile's dashboard is flanked by an ultra-wide panoramic screen used "for driving information and entertainment".
While the company unveiled the car concept at the event, Sony did not specify whether it had plans to offer the car for purchase to the public. Sony's chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said: "We will accelerate our efforts to contribute to the future of mobility."
Bob O'Donnell from Technalysis Research, who attended the press event, narrated: "It was quite a shock to be honest with you. It highlights how the company is reinventing itself."
The Vision-S' internal features also include a sensing technology that can detect occupants of the vehicle and recognize them, allowing them to use gesture control with the entertainment systems.
The prototype had a total of 33 sensors installed in it. The Japanese technology firm is known for developing powerful image sensors that can be used to analyze the road in front of a vehicle.
O'Donnell pointed out that such technology could potentially help assisted-driving systems in future vehicles, allowing them to judge when to apply the brakes or adjust the steering but still leaving most decisions up to the driver.
He added: "Assisted driving could be as useful, in fact, in some ways even more useful than autonomous driving."
At the CES 2020, another concept car was introduced by Mercedes-Benz. The car maker partnered with he creators of science-fiction film Avatar to develop the Vision AVTR (Advanced Vehicle Transformation).
The prototype lacks a steering wheel and engine but has movable reptilian "scales", a wooden floor, transparent doors and an "infotainment" system operated by gesture.
Avatar director James Cameron and Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Kallenius unveiled the car.
