Sony Group and Honda will introduce AI-driven autonomous driving assistance features in their jointly developed electric vehicles, marking the first public plan by a Japanese automaker to incorporate such functionality.
The joint venture, "Sony Honda Mobility," plans to launch its premium electric sedan Afeela in the United States and Japan in 2026, integrating AI-powered smart driving capabilities. The performance of autonomous driving will improve as the AI learns, with AI control features being introduced in stages and updated once or twice a year. Initially, the system is expected to operate at Level 3 autonomy, which allows for hands-free driving under specific conditions such as on highways.
Using AI as the "brain" during driving can accelerate the improvement of driving functions, as AI continuously learns from driving data and reduces costs by minimizing the use of expensive sensors and other equipment.
However, the current mainstream autonomous driving technology relies on a combination of sensors and cameras to identify obstacles and control driving. Each function, ranging from perception to decision-making, requires manual programming.
Mizuho Takashi, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, expressed deep concern over the rapid development of Chinese electric vehicles, stating that if innovation does not accelerate, Japanese automakers risk becoming "followers." Takashi believes that the progress of Chinese competitors has exceeded his expectations. The development cycle for Chinese electric vehicles—from concept to production—has been shortened to just 18 months, which is "more than half faster" than the Japanese automotive development cycle.