Prices revealed for new self-driving cars launching in 2026 that aim to compete with Tesla

A new self-driving car developed by Sony and Honda will be launched in 2026, which will take aim at Elon Musk’s Tesla.

The joint venture, Sony Honda Mobility, unveiled Afeela at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which can cruise through cities without a human at the wheel.

The EV is available in two variants: the $89,900 Afeela 1 Origin and the $102,900 Afeela 1 Signature.

They have the same five seats, four doors and a high-tech look, including a screen just under the hood of the car that displays the weather and tells passersby to ‘have a nice day :).’

Both cars are equipped with 45 cameras and sensors, allowing vehicles to see their surroundings and gather information for safe driving.

Although the vehicles are intended to compete with Tesla, they are compatible with the Tesla Super Charging Network in the US.

Pre-orders for the vehicles were announced for California, with deliveries starting in 2026 for the Signature and 2027 for Origin. It is unclear when more states will be able to pursue the claim.

To unveil the vehicle, CEO Yasuhide Mizuno spoke into his phone, “Come on out, Afeela,” prompting the car to emerge from behind a curtain and draw gasps from the crowd.

The joint venture, called Sony Honda Mobility, unveiled Afeela at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which can cruise through cities without a human at the wheel

He also spoke into his cell phone to tell the car to turn back, which he did after lighting up the emergency indicators to warn others that he was reversing.

“Sony Honda Mobility is committed to developing relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionizing the travel experience,” said Mizuno.

We are very pleased to unveil AFEELA 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025.

‘AFEELA 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with carefully refined hardware.

“We will meet the expectations of our customers by providing a safe, secure and comfortable travel experience.”

It could become the second semi-autonomous car available to California residents after Mercedes-Benz started selling one in 2023.

Both cars have multiple functions, including voice-controlled driving and a built-in AI engine that ‘proactively’ talks to users about their route.

Pre-orders for the vehicles were announced for California, with deliveries starting in 2026 for the Signature (pictured) and 2027 for Origin

Each occupant can enjoy a variety of apps and content, offered through entertainment, a unique sound system and per-seat displays.

With a subscription, drivers can also get a Level 2+ Driving Assistant to help drive their vehicle.

This installs software that allows the vehicle to change lanes, stay in its lane and watch for pedestrians, but the driver must still maintain overall control and be ready to intervene in the event of a misstep.

Sony Honda Mobility stated that the computing power provides support at all stages of perception, prediction and planning.

And the cabins are designed with the concept of ‘Mobility as a creative entertainment space’.

Each occupant can enjoy a variety of apps and content, provided by entertainment, a unique sound system and per-seat displays.

The stereo systems are also provided noise cancellation technology, with speakers designed with Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Technologies.

Executives said the car would also have a range of 300 miles per charge, more than the average of 110 to 300 miles for electric cars, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

For comparison, a conventional car can travel about 400 miles on a full tank.

Afeela was first touted at CES in 2020 when it was named VISION-S, before making the change in 2023.

The electric cars come at a time of slowing sales growth in the electric car industry, with many consumers instead opting for hybrid versions that can run on either electricity or gas.

Tesla saw quarterly electric vehicle sales fall from a peak of 484,500 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to just 386,800 in the first quarter of 2024, while Volkswagen was forced to close three of its electric vehicle factories due to lackluster sales.