Another CES has come and gone, but transportation remains central to one of the world’s biggest technology stages. Electric cars weren’t the only thing that caught our attention at CES 2024.
There were companies and startups there focused on everything from autonomous driving, EV charging, software (more specifically AI), sensors, aviation, boats, drones, micromobility, and more. And luckily, so was TechCrunch.
Here are some of the technology themes that caught our attention at CES 2024.
all electric
Image credits: Kirsten Kolosek
The big three US automakers, GM, Ford, and Stellantis, may not have had the big show or product announcements, but plenty of other automakers were in attendance, cementing CES as a major auto show. I contributed to making it happen. Honda, Kia Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Sony, Turkey’s Tog and VinFast all unveiled electric vehicle concepts and production vehicles at the event.
Big car manufacturers weren’t the only ones exhibiting at CES 2024. Electrification is pervading every corner of transportation, from motorcycles and e-bikes to go-karts, big rigs, boats and airplanes.
For example, Segway announced two electric scooters called the E2 Pro and Superscooter ST1, two electric bicycles called the Segway Xafari and Segway Xyber, and the Segway. go kart pro 2 You can connect it to your PC and use it to play racing games like Forza.
Startups are also plentiful and can be found at various CES-related events such as Pepcom and Unveiled. Cleveland, Ohio-based startup Land Energy has brought back a sporty e-bike with a replaceable battery. verge motorcycle unveiled the Verge TS Ultra, an electric bike with a hub-wrestling design, advanced driver-assistance technology, and a powertrain that produces an impressive 201 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. Eureka Park, home to hundreds of start-up businesses, was also undergoing electrification. One of his startups that caught my eye was solar buggyis a company that has developed an electric urban mobility vehicle that resembles an enclosed golf cart.
Image credits: Kirsten Kolosek
And of course, there were electric planes and drones. On the startup front, Pivotal began taking online orders for its Helix personal electric aircraft, and autonomous on-demand drone companies Zipline and Wing landed aircraft. Big deal with Walmart. Supernal, Hyundai’s advanced air mobility division, unveiled an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft aimed at mass production, while Xiaopeng Aerot, a subsidiary of Chinese electric car maker Xiaopeng Automobile, unveiled a new concept and launched a land-based It was announced that deliveries of the aircraft carrier will begin at the end of 2025. .
With so many electric vehicles out there, people might not be surprised to learn that EV charging companies were there in droves, too. In addition to well-known charging infrastructure companies, we also found startups focused on EV charging software or showcasing novel approaches like WiTricity’s wireless charging technology.
Generation AI
Image credits: Volkswagen
TechCrunch staff predicted that AI would dominate CES in 2024, even before we set foot on the show floor. we weren’t wrong. AI was being deployed everywhere, including in transportation, from cars and e-bikes to scooters and electric aircraft.
There were many companies promoting AI. Sure, there’s been a lot of vaporware, but many companies are increasingly incorporating AI into their software to (hopefully) deliver more capable products, such as vehicle sensors, car voice assistants, and self-driving systems. We have demonstrated that there is.
There was also a lot of talk about generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot feature that uses large-scale deep learning models trained on massive datasets. I checked his two ChatGPT demos. One is a collaboration with BMW and the other with software companies Cerence and Volkswagen.
Volkswagen has announced plans to add an AI-powered chatbot to all Volkswagen models equipped with the IDA voice assistant.
Meanwhile, BMW and partner Amazon unveiled a development project that uses generative AI powered by Alexa LLM to give automakers’ voice assistants greater capabilities and deliver information in a more human-like conversational format.
hydrogen
Hyundai Motor President and CEO Jehoon Jang and Hyundai Motor Senior Vice President, Battery Development Manager, and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Development Manager Kim Chang-hwan attended CES 2024. image credits: Getty Images via Bloomberg
Hydrogen energy is not new, but it has recently taken a bit of a backseat compared to traditional battery electric vehicles. But don’t tell anyone at CES 2024. This year’s show floor was littered with hydrogen-powered vehicles of all sizes.
Hyundai, which is expanding its portfolio of battery-powered electric vehicles, came to CES to talk about its vision for hydrogen fuel cells and alternative fuels. Nikola finally shows off its first U.S.-made hydrogen truck that will start shipping to customers, and Bosch, which already makes hydrogen fuel cells (similar to the ones Nikola uses in its trucks), can burn hydrogen announced that it would manufacture engines. . Truck manufacturer PACCAR also unveiled a hydrogen-powered truck.
We also encountered other hydrogen-focused startups who were walking through the venue to meet with media, potential investors, and industry players. We met at Croft Motors. The startup is developing “rugged” hydrogen-powered vehicles, starting with a three-row prototype SUV with “an expected range of 1,000 miles.”
Integration of onboard hardware and software
HARMAN unveiled its ReadyCare products at CES 2024. image credits: Kirsten Kolosek
Automakers, car suppliers, and even some startups showcased their vision for the interior of the car. Yes, there were plenty of touchscreens, including the popular curved design.
In-vehicle technology has expanded far beyond that into areas of safety, health assessments, and entertainment. Eye tracking technology was everywhere. For example, Herrmann showed off his branded Ready Care system, which can measure a driver’s eye activity, cognitive load, and vital signs to determine their level of concentration and attention to the road ahead.
Many companies also showcased how hardware such as cameras and other sensors once used for safety is now being leveraged for other, more comfort-oriented services. . Bosch has shown how eye-tracking technology can be used to understand what points of interest you are looking at while driving, allowing the car to provide contextual information.
Meanwhile, Mercedes is introducing a suite of features that combine to create a complete experience for drivers and passengers, including an upgraded voice assistant, in-car games, immersive audio, and an app developed by will.i.am’s new company Sound Drive. The entire package was announced. It adapts the throttle, brakes and steering into a kind of intelligent multi-channel mixer that influences the songs played inside the car.
My takeaway: Companies understand that drivers and passengers are their audience, so to speak. And they’re all working on how to bring all the technology we have in our phones and homes into our cars.
