The Coming Collision of Cars and Consoles
A PlayStation on Wheels? Don't Scoff Just Yet
Let’s be honest, for decades the car industry has been a bit of a snooze. Bigger engines, more cup holders, maybe a new shade of beige. But lately, things have become rather interesting. It seems every tech giant with a spare billion in the bank fancies itself the next Henry Ford. The latest to throw its hat in the ring is an unlikely pairing, Sony and Honda, with a car they’ve called AFEELA. And what’s their killer feature? Essentially, they’ve bolted a PlayStation into the dashboard.
Now, before you roll your eyes, I think this is more significant than it sounds. This isn't just about playing video games while you wait for the battery to charge. It’s a full-frontal assault on the very idea of what a car is for. For Sony, the car isn't a vehicle that happens to have a screen, it's a mobile entertainment platform that happens to have wheels. They don't want to just sell you a car, they want to own your commute, your road trips, and every dull moment you spend stuck in traffic. It's a land grab for our attention, and the battlefield is the front seat.