How Sony Honda Mobility Keeps People Connected on the Move with AFEELA

Transforming mobility spaces into inspiring experiences—Sony Honda Mobility worked to create an unprecedented in-car environment, “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space,” through collaboration with a number of selected partners including Zoom.

In November 2024, Sony Honda Mobility decided to implement Zoom's video conferencing system into the AFEELA. By utilizing the Zoom Meeting SDK, they succeeded in developing a unique app that addresses usage scenarios specific to AFEELA vehicles.

Both aimed to realize a new mobility space that goes beyond video conferencing systems. We learned about the background to their partnership, the Support Zoom provided during the implementation, and their outlook for the future.

Sony Honda Mobility's purpose is to "Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations." Established in 2022 as a joint venture between the Sony Group and Honda Motor Company, the company has been developing a new form of mobility, AFEELA, by combining the technologies, expertise and development capabilities of both companies.

"Through AFEELA, our vision is to redefine the relationship between people and mobility, and to evolve cars from a simple means of transportation into an emotional space and experience," says Koji Sawayama of the IVI System Division, IVI System Development Department.

The concept is the three “A's” of Autonomy (evolving autonomy), Augmentation (evolving conventional concepts of space and time) and Affinity (the relationship between the user and the vehicle, and between the vehicle and society). We envision a new generation of mobility pulsing with intelligence that invites users to be part of the future of mobility.

To achieve this, the company utilizes entertainment and communication technologies to add distinct value to the vehicle interior.

For example, the front is equipped with a panoramic screen to create an interior space where users can enjoy a diverse range of apps. It is also equipped with Sony's stereo sound technology for an immersive audio experience. With these features, AFEELA is creating a new mobility experience that goes beyond transportation to influence sensibilities and behaviors.

As the development of AFEELA progressed, one of the needs that Sony Honda Mobility focused on was new ways of working. "With the diversification of work styles in recent years, an increasing number of use cases are expected, such as utilizing the vehicle as a temporary telework space or conducting video conferences while on the road," says Sawayama.

Sawayama continues, "As remote and hybrid work became more common, there was a need for an environment where work and communication remain uninterrupted even on the move, and to satisfy these use cases, the idea of providing a video conferencing system that connects the inside and outside of the car was born, which led to the introduction of Zoom."

Of the many video conferencing systems available, why choose Zoom? Sawayama explains, "Zoom has an especially high market share among video conferencing systems, it's widely supported and we believed it could flexibly accommodate needs related to implementing in-car functionality."

AFEELA did not directly install video conferencing functions commonly used for PCs and conference rooms in the vehicle, but emphasized its ability to adapt to unique in-car usage scenarios. "Unlike when using a PC alone, for example, it is expected that multiple people will attend a Zoom meeting together from inside the car. For this reason, we wanted to provide a communication space unique to AFEELA that comfortably accommodates one or multiple people, by utilizing a camera that shows the entire cabin, alongside displays for each seat," details Sawayama.

The company's highly scalable services that make such spaces possible were also highly evaluated, leading to the partnership with Zoom.

When implementing the video conferencing system, Sony Honda Mobility chose the Zoom Meeting SDK. This software development kit allows developers to incorporate Zoom's video conferencing capabilities into their applications or websites. Systems such as Zoom Meetings infrastructure and the global network can be utilized as is, while features, UI and more can be flexibly customized to suit specific use cases. The high degree of customization and cost-effectiveness, which enables basic functions to be realized at low cost with high quality, were the deciding factors in adopting the Zoom Meeting SDK.

When implementing the Zoom Meeting SDK, Zoom provided an SDK based on Android Automotive OS used for the AFEELA in-vehicle platform. "We also used the sample application they provided as a reference and proceeded with developing our own application that incorporated the SDK," Sawayama explains.

However, Sawayama recalls that implementation also faced a number of challenges: "AFEELA is equipped with numerous cameras, but we discovered early in development that the OS interface for acquiring images from those cameras was different from what we had envisioned and what the SDK provided." When this issue was discussed with Zoom, Sawayama details that a video call with an overseas expert was immediately set up.

When the background and reasons for wanting to use that interface were explained, they immediately understood and suggested an alternative. They also made the necessary SDK modifications and releases in a short time frame, enabling the task to be completed.

To enable Sony Honda Mobility and Zoom to integrate closely and establish a strong partnership, Zoom offered Premier+ Support, a paid service. Shun Oh, Technical Account Manager of the Technical Account Service Department, Global Support & Service Division at ZVC JAPAN explains its characteristics in three key points.

"First, a dedicated technical account manager will work closely with you as a partner." This is someone you can consult with at any time to provide ongoing support to help you succeed.

"The second point is the ability to respond more quickly and flexibly than regular support." As previously mentioned in addressing challenges during the early stages of development, a system has been established to promptly address issues.

"The third advantage is providing technical consultations from engineers who specialize in areas like Zoom's API and SDK." Experts will provide accurate consulting to address the unique challenges faced by each customer.

Utilizing these features, the product team and the Premier+ Support team are deeply involved from the app design stage. After understanding system configurations and requirements for the development environment and production environment, they carefully proceeded with implementation.

Michio Sugi, Developer Advocate of the Technical Account Service Department, Global Support & Service Division at ZVC JAPAN explains support details: "To maximize the use of the Zoom Meeting SDK, we have provided diverse technical support, including holding workshops and offering best practices. Sony Honda Mobility has developed a proprietary app through this support, leading us to where we are today."

This project advanced towards realization while providing such support. Reflecting on this, Oh notes that the greatest value was the promotion of innovation. "Zoom has a fundamental philosophy of 'Delivering happiness' that prioritizes the happiness of customers and end users. Under this philosophy, the Premier+ Support team collaborated with the product team to listen to Sony Honda Mobility's ideas and technical challenges, combining them with Zoom's technology to co-create new functions and experiences with our customers."

While providing Premier+ Support, the company also faced the challenge of resolving and showcasing issues in an application under development within a limited timeframe. "Sony Honda Mobility and the Zoom team collaborated closely to achieve a successful demo after multiple technical improvements. I believe this success was largely due to teamwork, which enabled Zoom to introduce new features through private releases and address issues flexibly and promptly by incorporating feedback each time," says Sugi.

The results produced by support that leverages speed, flexibility and a high level of expertise, characteristics of Premier+ Support, are proof of the strong partnership between Sony Honda Mobility and Zoom.

In addition, based on the unique constraints of the automotive environment, forecasting of potential challenges at each stage of development was conducted alongside technical guidance and best practices in advance. This proactive approach allowed the company to identify potential issues early on and take action. "I believe that by having dedicated teams responsible for the success of the project, Sony Honda Mobility has been able to focus on the original development, which is the creation of the innovative in-vehicle experience named AFEELA," says Sugi.

Sony Honda Mobility is steadily progressing with development ahead of initial deliveries of the AFEELA 1, which is scheduled for 2026. They are also working to further evolve video conferencing applications using the Zoom Meeting SDK to realize new communication experiences and services unique to AFEELA.

"As we proceed with development with the expectation of software updates after release, partnerships with Zoom will continue to be indispensable," says Sawayama. Together, the two companies aim to create a new standard for in-vehicle communication. This means the joint development of solutions that go beyond video conferencing systems to propose new ways of working and living in the mobility space.

Cars have evolved from a means of transportation to "inspiring spaces." Today they are a new platform that connects people, and also creates a link between movement and experience. The future of mobility envisioned by Sony Honda Mobility and Zoom is taking on a bold new form.

"I'm very proud to be able to create the future of mobility with Sony Honda Mobility. We will continue to put customer success first and build the best partnership possible," states Oh.