Sony and Honda sign Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Mobility Alliance
Yesterday (March 4, 2022), Honda Motor Co. and Sony Group Corporation announced that they have agreed to further discuss and explore a strategic alliance.
Photo: Reuters
The proposed alliance aims to create and usher in a new era of mobility and mobility services. The memorandum of understanding signed by both companies, will eventually lead to the establishment of a joint venture (New Company). Through the joint venture, they plan to develop and sell Electric Vehicles (EV’s) and commercialize them as to provide mobility services. The new company, is slated to be established sometime this 2022.
Honda’s role in the joint venture is to use their expertise in vehicle body manufacturing, mobility development capabilities, and after sales service expertise. Sony meanwhile, will provide input through their knowhows in – imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and entertainment technologies.
Sony Vision S, Photo: CNBC
The alliance’s goal is to be able to start selling their mobility offerings by 2025. The New Company is expected to plan, design, develop, and sell the EVs, but not own and operate manufacturing facilities, so Honda is expected to be responsible for manufacturing the first EV model at its vehicle manufacturing plant. It is expected that a mobility service platform will be developed by Sony and made available for the New Company.
Sony’s Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Chairman, President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida had this to say; “Sony’s Purpose is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology.' Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated extensive global experience and achievements in the automobile industry over many years and continues to make revolutionary advancements in this field, we intend to build on our vision tomake the mobility space an emotional one,’ and contribute to the evolution of mobility centered around safety, entertainment and adaptability.”
While Honda’s Director, President, Representative Executive Officer and CEO Toshihiro Mibe echoed Sony’s sentiments by saying; “The New Company will aim to stand at the forefront of innovation, evolution, and expansion of mobility around the world, by taking a broad and ambitious approach to creating value that exceeds the expectations and imagination of customers. We will do so by leveraging Honda’s cutting-edge technology and know-how in relation to the environment and safety, while aligning the technological assets of both companies. Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different. Therefore, I believe this alliance which brings together the strengths of our two companies offers great possibilities for the future of mobility.”
This joint venture if successful could be a big player in the sustainable mobility industry, given that both Honda and Sony are experts and innovators at their respective fields.
