CES 2024: Autonomous driving steps back, cars return to practicality.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is not only a window for forward-looking digital industry innovation and technology, but also an important event for the automotive industry to showcase new technologies and new models.

From January 9th to 12th, CES 2024 will be held in Las Vegas, USA. According to industry experts, the automotive industry will focus on practical technologies and present unique trends in AI applications.

Trend 1: The hype around autonomous driving will decrease

In 2023, despite the surge in global electric vehicle sales, from 3 million vehicles in 2020 to over 10 million vehicles in 2023, autonomous driving technology has remained stagnant and faces numerous challenges.

Investors' patience has also been worn thin. Several major automakers have suffered huge losses in autonomous driving technology and have made slow progress. Ford Motor has announced a complete abandonment of autonomous driving technology.

Looking ahead to CES 2024, it is expected that autonomous driving technology will no longer be the focus of attention as it has been in the past few years. Automakers may focus on showcasing electrification technology rather than autonomous driving technology.

Trend 2: Automakers will showcase more practical technologies compared to concept cars

In past exhibitions, concept cars with numerous high-tech features and cool designs have often been the focus of public attention.

However, the reality is that these futuristic cars rarely become a reality. For example, at last year's CES exhibition, BMW unveiled a color-changing concept car, but to this day, the car remains in the concept stage.

However, by 2024, the situation may be different. Industry observers predict that CES 2024 will focus more on practical technologies that can serve today's drivers and effectively improve the daily driving experience. These products will be available for purchase immediately, rather than being elusive concepts.

Trend 3: Traditional automakers are firmly transitioning

According to reports, Japanese automotive giant Honda plans to launch a new electric vehicle at CES.

Honda stated that the company plans to release "a global electric vehicle series and some key technologies" at CES, and pointed out that these technologies can reflect the major transformation Honda is currently undergoing.

However, Honda has not disclosed specific details. But it is certain that as traditional automakers accelerate their transition to full electric vehicle product lines, the wave of electrification will become even more unstoppable.

Trend 4: Concept cars still shine

Although CES 2024 emphasizes practicality, stunning concept cars still attract audiences.

Hyundai plans to launch the Mobion concept car based on its star product, the Ioniq 5. It has outstanding design and unique features. All four wheels can rotate 90 degrees, greatly improving driving performance. The other details of the car are still kept confidential, but it is expected that the Mobion concept car's headlights will also have the attribute of "interactive lighting" and be able to perform "swiping" actions.

This forward-thinking design still holds strong appeal, highlighting the creativity of the automotive industry.

Trend 5: Conservative Application of AI

There is no doubt that AI, as one of the most influential technology events, will take a prominent position at CES 2024.

However, considering that AI technology is still not mature enough and the automotive industry has strict requirements for safety, it is expected that car manufacturers will not adopt AI in critical areas at this year's CES.

Industry observers predict that for the automotive industry, the current focus is on enhancing user experience with AI without compromising safety. Therefore, AI may be extensively applied in low-risk scenarios such as in-car entertainment facilities and vehicle personalization, but we may not see much of AI in driving scenarios.