Sony Honda Mobility announced at CES 2026 a roadmap that blends automated driving, conversational AI, in-car entertainment, and creator-led software development as core pillars of its “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space” vision. During a press conference at CES, the Sony-Honda joint venture showcased AFEELA 1 as a pre-production vehicle and reiterated that it expects first customer deliveries in California to begin within 2026. The company said it plans to expand sales to Arizona in 2027, while also targeting Japan deliveries in the first half of 2027, framing the rollout as a phased approach that pairs product launch with a broader services and experiences strategy.
Sony Honda Mobility also used the event to world-premiere the AFEELA Prototype 2026, which it described as the next chapter beyond AFEELA 1. The prototype builds on the same core concept as the first production model but is designed to offer more spatial flexibility and accessibility, with a production vehicle derived from the prototype targeted for a U.S. launch as early as 2028.
On the technology front, the company emphasized how it expects vehicle AI to reshape the driving and cabin experience over time. It said it is continuing to enhance its AFEELA Intelligent Drive advanced driver assistance system while evolving it toward an end-to-end AI model that incorporates a vision-language model. The initial focus is Level 2+ driver assistance intended to support travel from departure to destination, with a longer-term ambition to reach Level 4–equivalent capabilities that could enable a “drive-less” environment where occupants can shift attention to entertainment and other activities.
Another key element is the AFEELA Personal Agent, which Sony Honda Mobility positioned as an interactive conversational AI designed to deliver personalized, natural dialogue experiences inside the vehicle. The company said the agent leverages Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, reflecting a broader push to make the vehicle feel like an intelligent partner that can understand user preferences and emotions, rather than a purely driver-centric machine.
Sony Honda Mobility also highlighted plans to adopt Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions in its next-generation electrical/electronic architecture. The company framed the move as part of a strategy to continuously incorporate “cutting-edge platforms” to support AI-centered mobility experiences and future software-driven capabilities.
To broaden what can be built and experienced inside the cabin, the company announced the AFEELA Co-Creation Program, which is intended to give creators and developers access to the documentation needed to develop in-vehicle entertainment content, such as themes and apps. Sony Honda Mobility said it is building cloud APIs and a development environment for Android applications on its in-vehicle infotainment system, with the goal of enabling developers to create new in-cabin applications.
In a more experimental step, Sony Honda Mobility said it is aiming to develop an open, on-chain mobility service platform using a token-based incentive model powered by crypto technologies. Under an “X-to-Earn” concept, the company said it wants to create an ecosystem spanning ideation, development, experience, and evaluation. It indicated the platform could eventually be open to other automakers and service providers as well.
Operationally, the company provided an update on manufacturing readiness for AFEELA 1. It said it conducted trial production runs in fall 2025 on the production line at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio as part of preparations for mass production, and that pre-production vehicles produced through that process were exhibited at CES 2026.
The company also previewed a customer experience and delivery strategy centered on physical locations and staged access for early buyers. Sony Honda Mobility said it plans to open “AFEELA Studio and Delivery Hubs” this spring in Torrance and Fremont, California, combining showroom and delivery functions. It also said a phased experiential program, AFEELA Advanced Access, will be offered to early reservation holders, with demo drives planned for later this year.
Sony Honda Mobility noted that reservations for AFEELA 1 began in January 2025 in California. It said it has since opened AFEELA Studio showrooms and held exhibition events that collectively drew more than 100,000 visitors, including more than 24,000 in-vehicle demonstrations within the first year.
