The ‘PlayStation Car’ may be revealed by Sony at CES 2023
Sony is teaming up with Honda on a mysterious new project it calls “a reveal of our new world.”
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Gaming while driving
🚗 Sony Honda Mobility teases CES 2023 “world reveal”
🎮 In-car PS5 gaming is “technologically possible”
🛞 Sony is concurrently working on self-driving tech
🔋 Most likely related to Vision-S concept vehicles
Sony is once again trying to stir up hype for the “world reveal” of its collaboration with Honda at CES 2023.
In a tweet earlier this week, the company posted a promotional graphic along with an accompanying video reminding attendees to tune into its Sony Honda Mobility press conference, which is set to take place at CES 2023 on January 4.
When Honda finally releases its first batch of electric vehicles in 2024, the infotainment system might look familiar to those lucky enough to catch a PS5 restock. In an interview with the Financial Times, Sony Honda Mobility president Izumi Kawanishi said compatibility with the best PS5 games is “technologically possible.”
Software and digital services won’t be secondary to the rest of the car either. Instead, Sony Honda Mobility leadership says it’s building its electric vehicles around the platform rather than the other way around.
“Sony has content, services and entertainment technologies that move people,” Izumi Kawanishi told the Times. “We are adapting these assets to mobility, and this is our strength against Tesla.”
While you can already play Steam games such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring if you own a new Tesla Model S or Model X, both vehicles start at six-figure prices, not exactly an economical option. While we don’t have pricing information yet on Honda’s upcoming EV lineup, the Japanese company is well known for affordability. The hybrid Honda Civic, for instance, is expected to cost around $28,000 in the US.
Many skeptics have questioned the viability of in-car entertainment systems given their obvious limitations – i.e., being illegal and dangerous to use while driving. Kawanishi stresses that in order for automotive gaming to reach its full potential, the company is also concentrating its efforts on self-driving tech. "To enjoy the space in your car, you have to make it a space where you don't need to drive. The solution for this is autonomous driving,” he said.
Honda’s next fully electric car is the 2024 Prologue, which it announced in October. However, Sony’s infotainment platform may be further out given the scale of the project. It will more likely be tied to whatever becomes of the Vision-S concept Sony first showcased at CES 2020, seeing as both cars resemble existing Honda models, namely the Civic Type-R and the Pilot. I suspect we’ll know for sure in a couple of weeks.