Sony Targets In-Car AI Market With Original Characters
Sony Group is extending its strengths in entertainment and character development into automotive software with a conversational artificial intelligence assistant built around original characters. The company is betting that familiar, personable digital companions can distinguish its offering from conventional voice systems focused mainly on navigation and vehicle controls, as automakers race to add AI-powered features and richer entertainment experiences to connected cars.
Sony plans to offer the service to automakers as early as 2027, charging licensing fees for use of its character-based in-car assistant. The company has not disclosed pricing, initial manufacturing partners or launch markets. Sony also envisages extending the same characters to smartphones, allowing users to continue interacting with their digital companion outside the vehicle and creating a service that spans driving and everyday life.
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The history behind this eventAutomakers Turn to In-Car AI for New Digital Revenue
Automakers including Ford and General Motors are integrating artificial-intelligence assistants with vehicle data as they seek revenue beyond the initial car sale. The technology could help manufacturers maintain direct relationships with owners and build recurring digital-service businesses after delivery, turning connected vehicles into platforms for personalized information and paid features over a car’s lifetime.
Ford has already made an AI assistant available to millions of vehicle owners, allowing them to ask questions about their cars and access vehicle-status information. The company plans to introduce a more deeply integrated in-vehicle version in 2027, a step that would give the assistant closer access to onboard systems and data as automakers test new after-sales revenue streams.
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