Crowds wait at the entrance before the opening of CES 2023 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul

By Baek Byung-yeul

LAS VEGAS ― Samsung Electronics, LG Display, Hyundai Mobis and other Korean companies are showcasing their electric vehicle (EV)-related technologies at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which started Thursday, taking the business as their next growth item.

At the same time, Japanese IT giants are also boasting their EV technologies at the tech show. Sony wowed visitors with its prototype EV Afeela, developed jointly with Japanese car giant Honda, and Panasonic showcased its in-vehicle infotainment system for EVs.

Sony and Honda's prototype electric vehicle Afeela is displayed at Sony's CES booth in Las Vegas, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul

Sony announced the Afeela EV, which is expected to debut in the U.S. market in spring 2026. The prototype model gained much attention at the CES with its stylish design, gaming capabilities and sensing technology as it is equipped with 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the car.

In addition, the EV has a media bar on its front between the headlights, allowing users to display personalized messages.

EV battery maker Panasonic also introduced its upgraded SkipGen in-vehicle infotainment system, giving drivers access to Apple CarPlay and Amazon's Alexa simultaneously.

Experts presumed that Japanese companies' technologies will have an impact on EV-related businesses as they have IT and automotive technologies that cannot be underestimated.