CES 2026: PlayStation on Honda self-driving EVs to be possible on U.S. roads by late 2026

Sony Honda Mobilitys Afeela 1 showcased during a media preview at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the CES 2026 Jan 5 2026 Aju News Corporation Special Jointed Corps — Sony Honda Mobility's Afeela 1 showcased during a media preview at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the CES 2026, Jan. 5, 2026. [Photo=Ajou Media Group CES Special Coverage Team]

LAS VEGAS, January 05 (AJP) - Imagine cruising down the highway while battling mythical beasts in God of War Ragnarök or listening to bespoke soundscapes by a Japanese music producer — all from inside a self-driving electric vehicle. That future rolled into CES 2026 on Monday as Sony Honda Mobility unveiled its first production-ready model, the Afeela 1, blurring the line between automobile and entertainment hub.

The four-year-old joint venture between Sony Group and Honda Motor said customer deliveries in California will begin later this year, with prices starting at $89,000.

"Mobility will evolve into an experience that understands every user," said Izumi Kawanishi, representative director and president of Sony Honda Mobility. "Being a car will no longer be about driving it. It will be about making the most of your time and space."

Afeela 1 packs 40 sensors and computing power capable of up to 800 trillion operations per second. It launches with Level 2+ advanced driver assistance under "Afeela Intelligent Drive," with the company aiming for Level 4 autonomous capability over time.

One signature feature is the integration of PlayStation Remote Play, enabling occupants to stream games from a PS5 directly to the vehicle's panoramic display.

Eric Lempel, senior vice president at Sony Interactive Entertainment, also announced exclusive Afeela themes from Astro Bot, including custom wallpapers and sounds.

"We want PlayStation to be the best place to play and to give players more ways than ever to access the games they love," Lempel said. "We're excited to bring Remote Play to Afeela."

A demonstration of a passenger playing Playstation games through the consoles remote play system on the Afeela 1 showcased at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas Jan 5 2026 — A demonstration of a passenger playing Playstation games through the console's remote play system on the Afeela 1, showcased at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Jan. 5, 2026.

The vehicle's electrical architecture is powered by Qualcomm Technologies via the Snapdragon Digital Chassis. Nakul Duggal, executive vice president at Qualcomm, called the collaboration a shared bet on the intelligent car's future.

Afeela's conversational AI — the Afeela Personal Agent — runs on Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, enabling personalized, natural dialogue tuned to driver preferences and context.

Adding an artistic layer, Grammy-nominated Japanese producer Tomoko Ida crafted a custom audio experience that turns electric acceleration into a musical instrument, blending Japanese and Western styles rather than mimicking traditional engine sounds.

Yasuhide Mizuno, representative director, chairperson and CEO, confirmed that trial production began last fall at Honda's East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, with pre-production vehicles on display at CES.

Izumi Kawanishi representative director and president of Sony Honda Mobility gives a media representation on the Afeela 1 model at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas Jan 5 2025 Aju News Corporation Special Jointed Corps — Izumi Kawanishi, representative director and president of Sony Honda Mobility, gives a media representation on the Afeela 1 model at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Jan. 5, 2026. [Photo=Ajou Media Group CES Special Coverage Team]

Sales are initially limited to California, with delivery hubs opening this spring in Torrance and Fremont. Demo drives for early reservation holders are planned later this year. Expansion to Arizona follows in 2027, while Japan deliveries are slated for the first half of the same year.

Sony Honda Mobility also debuted the Afeela Prototype 2026, a compact SUV-style concept expected to reach U.S. roads as early as 2028.

Kim Dong-young davekim0807@ajupress.com