CES 2026: Sony Honda’s Afeela future emerges

Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) has unveiled the next chapter of Afeela, the company’s electric vehicle (EV) programme developed with a focus on software, AI and in-car entertainment.

The reveal took place at CES 2026 in Las Vegas this week, where SHM outlined an evolving vision for the future of mobility centred on what it calls “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space”.

The company presented Afeela 1 as a pre-production model. It also debuted a new concept vehicle, the Afeela Prototype 2026. A production model based on the prototype is planned for launch in the US in 2028.

SHM reaffirmed a long-term technology roadmap shaped by partnerships across technology, entertainment and creation. This includes plans to adopt Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Digital Chassis within a next-generation electrical and electronic architecture, the rollout of the Afeela Co-Creation Program to give developers access to in-vehicle entertainment tools, and the development of an open, on-chain mobility service platform built around a token-based incentive model.

Sony Honda Mobility’s vision

Creative Entertainment Space: SHM envisions the evolution of mobility into a “creative entertainment space”, proposing a new mobility experience powered by vehicle AI. According to the company, vehicles will evolve from driver-centric machines into intelligent partners that understand user preferences and emotions. This aims to maximise the value of space and time during mobility.

Afeela Intelligent Drive: SHM says it is continuously enhancing advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), Afeela Intelligent Drive, while evolving it into an end-to-end AI model that integrates vision-language model (VLM). Starting with Level 2+ driver assistance that supports travel from the departure point to the destination, the company aims to achieve Level 4-equivalent capabilities in the future, transforming the in-vehicle space into a “drive-less” environment where occupants can enjoy entertainment.

Afeela Personal Agent: The Afeela Personal Agent, an interactive conversational AI, leverages Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to deliver highly personalised, natural dialogue experiences tailored to individual users. It aims to enhance the relationship between people and mobility to make it more personal.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis: To support these capabilities, SHM will use solutions from the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, an advanced suite of automotive products and solutions from Qualcomm Technologies, within Afeela’s future electrical/electronic architecture. By continuously adopting cutting-edge platforms with a future-oriented perspective, SHM says it aims to create AI-centred next-generation mobility experiences.

Co-Creation Program: Through the Afeela Co-Creation Program, SHM collaborates with creators and developers to expand the possibilities of mobility by providing access to information necessary for developing in-vehicle entertainment, including in-car themes and apps. The company is building cloud APIs and the development environment for Android applications on IVI (in-vehicle infotainment). This aims to enable developers to create new mobility applications that can further transform the in-cabin experience.

New on-chain mobility service platform: To further accelerate open co-creation, SHM says it is aiming to build an on-chain mobility service platform that leverages a token-based incentive model powered by crypto technologies. Under the “X-to-Earn” concept, the company aims to create an ecosystem encompassing the three cycles of mobility services: ideation; development; and experience and evaluation. These will be open to other automakers and service providers.

Afeela 1

Reservations for Afeela 1 began in January 2025 in California. Since then, SHM has opened Afeela Studio showrooms and held vehicle exhibition events at various locations, welcoming more than 100,000 visitors and conducting over 24,000 in-vehicle demonstrations within the first year.

In 2025, SHM conducted trial production runs of Afeela 1 on the production line at its contract manufacturing partner, Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, as part of the preparation process for mass production, and exhibited the pre-production vehicles produced at CES 2026.

This year, SHM will open Afeela Studio and Delivery Hubs in Torrance and Fremont, California, combining showroom and delivery functions to provide a full brand experience. A phased experiential program, Afeela Advanced Access, will be offered to early reservation holders, with demo drives planned for late this year.

Sales of Afeela 1 are planned to expand to Arizona in 2027, with deliveries in Japan scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027.

Afeela 1 aims to redefine the relationship between people and mobility by integrating advanced software and high-performance hardware, creating an intelligent mobility. It is equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that reduce driving stress while supporting a safe and secure mobility experience, and an interactive personal agent that enables communication with the vehicle.

The cabin features a distinct sound system and optimised displays allowing occupants to use a variety of apps and entertainment content. The vehicle’s performance aims to provide a sense of unity with the driver, supporting agile and stable handling.

Afeela Prototype 2026

The Afeela Prototype 2026 builds on the core concept of Afeela 1 while offering greater spatial flexibility and accessibility. SHM says it aims to deliver joy and value to a broader range of users. The company plans to develop a production model based on the prototype for launch in the US market in 2028.