At CES, Stellantis debuted the Ram Revolution EV truck with its interactive ceiling, AV displays and removable tablet. The signature feature of Sony’s AFEELA is an exterior Media Bar for displaying your feels to the world. What could possibly go wrong?
Both these vehicles also pick up on the theme of the car as AV platform–the Ram is described as a mobile movie projector while the Afeela is a mobile Playstation. Here’s a quick recap of the two standout car AV stories at CES. Both are concept cars.
The Ram 1500 Revolution
The Ram Revolution concept is outfitted with a full glass roof with electro-chromatic panels and integrated roof rails. From inside the cab, occupants can use the overhead console to operate ambient lighting. They can also use Ram’s tactile swiping technology to configure the sun visors or the entire electro-chromatic roof to adjust the opaqueness.
The lower display (pictured above) can be used as a tablet, passenger display, truck bed workstation, vehicle control or video game controller, according to Ram. The two 14.2-inch displays can also be combined to provide a larger viewing area. The truck is outfitted with multiple built-in projectors to visually communicate information to the user–also positioned as a “mobile movie projector”. “The projectors also double as a mobile movie theater, allowing the owner to have movie night anytime, anywhere,” says Stellantis. Details on that aspect were scant.
Sony Honda AFEELA
Sony has been talking about their car at least since CES 2020. Now they have an actual prototype with Honda. Not surprisingly the car is referred to as a mobile Playstation, but the AV element that caught many people’s eye was the signature exterior media bar on the front of the car where messages and artwork can be displayed for the driver as they approach their vehicle or to the world (hopefully just while parked). It’s a gift to IG users who will be able to rebrand their car on a whim.
Inside the AV setup includes many screens, pretty stylishly integrated as Sony’s press images below indicate (scroll through the gallery)
The car is loaded with sensors, which one hopes are not a preview of multi-player Playstation rounds with real cars.
