At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM) introduced its first model to be sold under the AFEELA brand — the electric AFEELA 1.

AFEELA 1 is slated for U.S. production at an Ohio plant. Sales are planned to begin in California this year with mid-2026 deliveries, according to SHM.

The vehicle will be available in two trims — the Signature series, starting at $102,900, and the Origin starting at $89,900, according to SHM. Both will come with a three-year complimentary subscription for certain functionality and features. InsideEVs reports the Signature trim will be available in 2026 and the Origin in 2027.

“SHM aims to revolutionize the mobility experience by redefining the relationship between people and mobility,” the release states. “The first model, AFEELA 1, pursues an interactive relationship between people and vehicles through the integration of advanced software and high-performance hardware, resulting in intelligent mobility. AFEELA 1 will continue to evolve as a new form of mobility that remains closely connected to people, through collaboration with creators and ongoing software updates.”

SHM says the AFEELA 1 interior is made of high-quality functional materials, including 70% from plant-derived and recycled materials, for the seats, doors, dashboard, glove box, roofs, pillars, and piece mats. Recycled materials are also used in the body steel plate and chassis.

It’s also equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that SHM says will reduce driving stress and provide a safe and secure mobility experience as well as an interactive agent by voice command for communication with the vehicle.

“Sony Honda Mobility strives to evolve relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionize the travel experience,” said Yasuhide Mizuno, SHM chairperson and CEO, in the release.

“We are very pleased to unveil AFEELA 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025. AFEELA 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with meticulously refined hardware. We will meet our customers’ expectations by providing a safe, secure, and comfortable travel experience.”

AFEELA Intelligent Drive, SHM’s proprietary ADAS, uses 40 sensors (cameras, lidar, radars, and ultrasonic sensors) to sense and collect data from the vehicle’s surroundings. Artificial intelligence is also paired with the electronic control unit (ECU) to provide advanced driver assistance, the release states.

“From the departure point to parking at the destination, it reduces the driver’s burden with an end-to-end route. The surrounding environment and driving conditions constantly monitored by AFEELA 1 are visualized as ADAS views and maps on the display… providing the driver with a safe and secure driving experience.”

The AFEELA 1 is designed to be experienced as “a creative entertainment space” with available apps and content, displays by the seats, an optimized sound system, and noise-canceling technology.

SHM says it’s working on creating unique entertainment experiences using driving and vehicle data through collaborations with external creators and developers.

The vehicle also has a 3D motion management system that includes posture control technology through robotics development and integrates motor, brake, and suspension control, the release says.

Also at CES, BMW Group debuted its new BMW iDrive, including BMW Panoramic Vision, and Operating System X.

The system will be introduced in all new BMW models beginning at the end of this year, according to a BMW press release.

“High tech meets highly intuitive operation — a quarter of a century of pioneering work and technological leadership in operating concepts has been channeled into the new BMW Panoramic iDrive,” said Frank Weber, BMW AG Board of Management member, responsible for development, in the release.

“The foundations are provided by the new BMW Operating System X. With this advance, we are giving one of the world’s best and most comprehensive infotainment systems even greater capability and once again setting the industry benchmark in multimodal interaction. Starting with the first series-produced Neue Klasse model at the end of this year, the new BMW Panoramic iDrive will form an integral part of all future BMW models.”

BMW says its new iDrive merges four central elements into a unique display and operating concept:

1. BMW Panoramic Vision – a head-pp display concept newly developed by BMW for projecting content from A-pillar to A-pillar onto a black printed surface in the lower section of the windscreen. The most important driving information is projected directly into the driver’s line of sight on the left-hand side above the steering wheel. The driver can personalize the central and right-hand.
2. The new and optional 3D head-up display above Panoramic Vision integrates navigation and automated driving information into the driver’s field of vision.
3. On the central display with matrix backlight technology is an updated menu structure with “QuickSelect” to ensure optimal operation of the functions and content by touch. The display is located close to the steering wheel. Up to six widgets can be carried over to Panoramic Vision with a swipe on the central display.
4. The new multifunction steering wheel uses BMW’s “shy-tech approach” whereby the relevant buttons are illuminated to highlight available functions. The steering wheel serves as the primary physical control, and its buttons provide active haptic feedback.

“The combination of these four elements reinterprets BMW’s customary “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” approach… [and] continues the approach of using an optimal combination of analogue and digital controls through the use of switches, buttons, touch and voice control,” the release says.

“There are haptic switches for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selectors and window de-icers. Other functions are optimized for operation using touch/voice control or via the multifunction steering wheel, such as telephone functions, media control systems, navigation, assisted driving, personalization of displays, selection of MyModes, and much more.”

Stephan Durach, BMW Group connected company senior vice, added, “The overall concept of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive with Operating System X has been enabled by a large technological leap forward,” says . “It offers intuitive operation, emotionally engaging experiences and specific personalization. The new BMW iDrive with Operating System X demonstrates the potential of a software-defined vehicle.”

As with current BMW infotainment systems, if the driver desires, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can make suggestions proactively based on user behavior including ADAS rarely used by the driver.

“Technology and customer preferences are changing more quickly than ever,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW Group design senior vice president, in the release. “The design of digital experiences and sound is playing an ever more important role,” says  “The new BMW Panoramic iDrive not only makes our vehicles smarter and more user-friendly, it also enables much more extensive personalization, which turns every new BMW into a car that is very much the user’s own.”

Images

Featured image: The AFEELA 1 debuted at CES 2025. (Provided by Sony Honda Mobility Inc.)

The AFEELIA 1 in different colors. (Provided by Sony Honda Mobility Inc.)

Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group design, talks about the BMW Panoramic iDrive at CES 2025. (Provided by BMW Group)

A close-up view of the BMW Panoramic iDrive in operation. (Provided by BMW Group)