Perseus, a British EV startup that “emerged from stealth mode” earlier this year, has set out plans to develop Europe’s first AI-powered electric vehicle and take drivers into “the era of intelligent mobility”.

The company, which describes itself as Europe’s first AI-native EV brand, has already pledged to bring its first model to market by late 2027. Backed by a team of ex-Bentley and Lotus personnel, the upcoming performance- and technology-focused compact SUV is intended to rival BMW, Audi and others, supporting the brand’s plans to become the UK’s leading premium mass-market electric car company.

Perseus has now forged a strategic alliance with AI and software-defined vehicle specialist SODA.Auto to advance these plans and develop “the world’s most advanced AI-powered Human–Machine Interface (HMI)”.

The brand’s vision centres around a future “where AI shapes every interaction between driver and vehicle”. Its mission is to develop a car that “functions as a living intelligence system, delivering a uniquely personalised driving experience where AI does not just assist the driver; it learns about them, understands them and attunes itself to their journeys, forming a truly symbiotic relationship”.

According to the company, AI-powered interaction will be the defining competitive advantage of the next decade – and it’s staking a claim at the front by creating vehicles that are “adaptive, intelligent and truly human-centric”.

Perseus says its upcoming electric car will dynamically learn the owner’s driving style and adjust itself to their emotional state to improve safety. It will also learn their driving routines and preferences, “proactively adapting and fine tuning itself to reduce the driver’s cognitive load in their busy day-to-day lives”.

Mohammed Yehya El Bakkali, the Moroccan-born founder and CEO of Perseus Motor Corporation, said: “Perseus was founded through a realisation that today’s car is passive and isolated, while I wanted a vehicle that could seamlessly partner with my busy day-to-day world. I envisioned a vehicle that thinks, adapts and evolves around its driver.

“This alliance with SODA.Auto transforms that vision into reality. Together, we are building the most advanced driver–vehicle interface in the world.”

Under the alliance, Perseus will lead conceptualisation, design and product definition, with AI embedded as the core layer of its vehicle architecture. The two companies will operate joint R&D centres in Masdar City within Abu Dhabi and Bicester, Oxfordshire to accelerate development.

“Partnering with Perseus allows us to unite around a shared AI strategy and apply it in extraordinary new vehicles,” said Sergey Malygin, CEO of SODA.Auto. “The outcome will be a step change in how humans interact with vehicles: intelligent, intuitive and deeply personal. This is Europe setting the global benchmark.”