A new self-driving car developed by Sony and Honda is set to launch in 2026 that will take aim at Elon Musk’s Tesla.
The joint venture, Sony Honda Mobility, unveiled Afeela at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which can cruise through cities without a human at the wheel.
The EV is available in two trims: the $89,900 Afeela 1 Origin and the $102,900 Afeela 1 Signature.
They feature the same five seats, four doors and high-tech look, including a screen just below the car’s hood that displays the weather and tells passers-by to ‘have a nice day :).’
Both cars are equipped with 45 cameras and sensors, allowing vehicles to see their surroundings and collect information for safe driving.
While the vehicles aim to compete with Tesla, they are compatible with the Tesla Supercharging Network across the US.
Preorders for the vehicles were announced for California with deliveries starting in 2026 for the Signature and 2027 for Origin. It is unclear when more states will be allowed to claim on.
To reveal the vehicle, chief executive Yasuhide Mizuno spoke into his phone ‘come on out, Afeela’, which prompted the car to emerge from behind a curtain to gasps from the crowd.
The EV is available in two trims: the $89,900 Afeela 1 Origin and the $102,900 Afeela 1 Signature (pictured)
The joint venture, called Sony Honda Mobility, unveiled Afeela at that the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas , which can cruise through cities without a human at the wheel
He also spoke into his cellphone to tell the car to return, which it did after lighting up its emergency indicators to warn others it was reversing.
‘Sony Honda Mobility strives to evolve relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionize the travel experience,’ said Mizuno.
We are very pleased to unveil AFEELA 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025.
‘AFEELA 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with meticulously refined hardware.
‘We will meet our customers’ expectations by providing a safe, secure, and comfortable travel experience.’
It could become the second semi-autonomous car available to residents in California, after Mercedes-Benz started to sell one in 2023.
Both cars boast multiple features, including voice-activated driving, and an in-built AI engine that ‘proactively’ talks to users about their route.
Preorders for the vehicles were announced for California with deliveries starting in 2026 for the Signature (pictured) and 2027 for Origin
Each occupant can enjoy a variety of apps and content provided by entertainment, unique sound system and displays by seat.
With a subscription, drivers can also get a Level 2+ driver assistant to help operate their vehicle.
This installs software enabling the vehicle to change lanes, keep to its lane and watch-out for pedestrians, but the driver is still required to remain in overall control and be ready to intervene in case of a misstep.
Sony Honda Mobility stated that the computing power provides assistance across all stages of Perception, Prediction and Planning.
And the cabins are designed with the concept of ‘Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space.’
Each occupant can enjoy a variety of apps and content provided by entertainment, unique sound system and displays by seat.
The stereo systems also feature noise-canceling technology, with speakers designed with Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Technologies.
Executives said it would also have a range of 300 miles per charge, above the average of 110 to 300 miles for EVs, according to the US Department of Transport.
For comparison, a conventional car can travel around 400 miles on a full tank.
Afeela was first touted at CES in 2020 when it had the name VISION-S before shifting making the change in 2023.
The EVs come at a time of slowing sales growth for the electric cars industry, with many consumers instead opting for hybrid versions that run on both electricity and gas.
Tesla saw quarterly EV sales fall from a peak of 484,500 in Q4 2023 to just 386,800 in the first quarter of 2024, while Volkswagen has been forced to close three of its factories for EVs amid lackluster sales.
