It’s been about a year on the nose since Sony introduced its concept EV, the Vision-S. The electronics and entertainment giant returned to Las Vegas twelve months later still behind the wheel, and marked the anniversary of the reveal with a second mention of the graceful and nimble-looking four-wheeled newbie.

In January of 2020, industry followers asked: what would the world think of a Sony car, and should or shouldn’t Sony drive the relatively less hazardous road of making EV components and systems for other automakers? But Sony had developed proprietary autonomous-car systems and a highly flexible platform, and was uniquely positioned to make the transition fairly readily.

Additionally, the resistance of native automakers to embrace the EV left a door open domestically. If Sony walked through it, the company would strengthen Japan’s economy by providing a homegrown option to rival the coming tide of Chinese EVs, make a bundle of money, and bring new vitality and renewed relevance to the brand as a technological leader. As the year wore on, the Vision-S made more appearances in the news, becoming a sure thing by summer 2020.

Taking us to the present day is the latest chapter in Sony’s EV story, and it is the next phase in developing a production prototype. Last month, the company rolled onto the roads of Austria to conduct testing on the working draft of the Vision-S.