Should Honda and Sony’s new collaboration build the Vision S concept?

Two old Japanese companies recently announced an intention to form a new Japanese company which will in turn build battery electric cars.

Honda and Sony have signed a memo of understanding to form a joint venture called ‘New Company’. Yeah, little on the nose, that. And yet if it brings us an electric car we can legitimately call the Sony Driveman, we’re all in.

The new New Company will ally Honda’s extensive manufacturing and after-sales nous to Sony’s imaging, sensing, telecoms and entertainment tech for a “new generation of mobility and services”. The first fruit will be an electric car scheduled for 2025; Honda will build it, Sony will sort the ‘mobility service platform’.

Sony Group boss Kenichiro Yoshida said: “Through this alliance with Honda, we intend to build on our vision to ‘make the mobility space an emotional one’, and contribute to the evolution of mobility centred around safety, entertainment and adaptability.”

Honda boss Toshihiro Mibe added: “Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different. Therefore, I believe this alliance which brings together the strengths of our two companies offers great possibilities for the future of mobility.”

TEXT Vijay Pattni