SAN FRANCISCO: The cars that will be showcased at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will be smarter even if fully self-driving vehicles may not be ready to go mainstream yet.
The Jan 7-10 show in Las Vegas will be crammed with the latest in connected devices, from light bulbs to underwear, along with the newest technology for automobiles, health and wellness, smart homes, retailing and more.
In the mobility space, car makers are realising more work needs to be done before they could deliver self-driving cars that are safe to use.
"There's a deepening understanding that the companies have a big hill to climb" before deploying fully autonomous cars, said Gartner analyst Michael Ramsey.
Accenture analyst Juergen Reers said CES is increasingly important for the transport sector because "most of the innovation is happening in software and services" rather than in vehicles themselves.
Reers said the industry is changing because "consumers are looking at mobility as a service, rather than simply buying a vehicle".
China-based Futurus Technology says it will launch what it claims is the first "mixed reality interactive windshield" to give motorists real-time information about a vehicle's status, performance and surroundings.
Others will use 5G technology and artificial intelligence to help cars detect pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles.
California's Xperi is unveiling an in-cabin system using iris identification, facial recognition and other biometrics to unlock vehicles and detect driver fatigue.
Amazon is revving up its auto efforts with a booth showcasing its cloud-computing AWS division aimed at "intelligent, personalised products and services."
And a new Fisker Ocean electric car is set to be unveiled, in one of the latest challenges to segment leader Tesla.
One of the world's biggest trade shows, this year's CES features 4,500 exhibitors, an estimated 175,000 attendees, and 1,000 speakers in exhibit areas equivalent to more than 50 football fields.
Small startups and large tech firms from dozens of countries will be angling for a slice of the trillion-dollar-plus global consumer electronics marketplace.
The show is organised by the Consumer Technology Association.
