Sony Group (Sony) and Honda Motor (Honda) signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic alliance in mobility

Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) held a press conference in which its Representative Director, Chairman and CEO Yasuhide Mizuno and Representative Director, President and COO Izumi Kawanishi announced the companyʼs establishment. A summary of the press conference is as follows:

▪ SHM aims to become a software-oriented “Mobility Tech Company” by providing high value-added products and services, and by building new relations with customers.
▪ The companyʼ s purpose is to “Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.”
▪ Pre-orders for the first product are planned to begin in the first half of 2025, with sales to commence before the end of 2025. Delivery is planned to start in the United States in Spring 2026, followed by Japan in the second half of 2026.
▪ The new companyʼ s high value-added EV concept is defined as the 3Aʼ s for Autonomy, Augmentation, and Affinity. Cutting-edge technologies will be applied to realize the 3Aʼs.
▪ SHM will design a comprehensive service architecture that incorporates an integrated service framework, consistent throughout from in-vehicle software to cloud-based software.

Background

▪ Sony and Honda Motor (Honda) signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic alliance in mobility field the companies signed a joint venture agreement to establish Sony Honda Mobility
▪ The companies agreed to lead innovation in the mobility industry through joint development and sales of high value-added electric vehicles (EVs), and creating a business to provide mobility services.

Company direction and purpose

▪ SHM strives to become a “Mobility Tech Company” that provides high value-added products and services, and strives to create new relations with its customers, by adopting new ideas through new software-oriented technologies and actively building partnerships with other companies.
▪ Not only will SHM integrate the knowledge Sony and Honda hold, but will actively cultivate various opportunities that encourage customers, partners and creative communities who resonate with us to join in.
▪ SHMʼ s purpose is to “Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.”
▪ The company aims to develop cutting-edge technologies to appeal to people’s emotions and behaviors, realizing revolutionary mobility to move people and their emotions

Connecting with customers / Product launch plans

▪ SHM will provide a new service beyond product sales and after-sales service, integrating digital and physical services to form deep and continuous relationships with customers across the entire value-chain.

▪ The company aims to build a community of customers resonating with our brand, even for those who do not own our products, and collaborate with a wide range of industry partners to create new experience value.

▪ For sales, SHM plans to focus on online sales, creating a direct and persistent network with customers, also inviting them to take part in the product development process. The company will provide personalized post-sales customer experience as well.

▪ Pre-orders for the first product are planned to begin in the first half of 2025, with sales to commence before the end of 2025. Delivery is planned to start in the United States in Spring 2026, followed by Japan in the second half of 2026.

▪ SHM plans to manufacture its first product at Hondaʼ s North America factory

Direction and technological approach to mobility and services

▪ Based on a common principle both Sony and Honda hold, to contribute to and lead the evolution of mobility, SHM has defined the its high value-added EV concept as the 3Aʼ s for Autonomy, Augmentation, and Affinity.