CES 2024: AI, electric vehicles and sustainability take center stage

“I think the biggest challenge with CES is come out of it feeling focused,” said Andy Hart, CEO of SBD Automotive.

Given that a crowd of over 130,000 jostled their way through 4,000 exhibitors at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, this feels both understandable, as well as an understatement. 

Hart was speaking to HERE about the cutting-edge technology we can expect to make an impact in 2024. And if, like most of the world, you are transfixed by artificial intelligence (AI), there was no shortage of examples of how AI will impact our daily lives, especially when it comes to getting from A to B.

AI in high gear

By now, asking Alexa to play you a song, or requesting today’s weather from Siri feels completely natural — although far from a proper conversation. But thanks to Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, having a conflab with your car will soon be commonplace. 

Both companies have integrated ChatGPT into their voice assistants with vehicle-specific information, which means that not only will you be able to ask if it is likely to rain while you’re on the road, but also how in the world you open up the trunk.

“There’s been a lot of discussion of the use of AI and how it can transform the way businesses operate, as well as how it can improve the end-customer experience,” said HERE CCO Jason Jameson. “The good news is that HERE has a pretty strong AI story. We use AI extensively with the way HERE UniMap ingests millions of map updates a day.”

Electric ambitions

From Honda’s DeLorean-esque Zero Saloon to Kia’s modular fleet of vans, there was no denying that all forms of electric transportation were the stars of this year’s show (there was even a self-driving electric baby stroller).

It was also announced that the Lotus Emeya Hyper-GT, one of the most exciting new electric vehicles (EVs) hitting our streets in 2024, will follow in the Lotus Eletre’s tire treads and come fully equipped with HERE Navigation’s EV Range Assistant package, including charge point POI search, multi-stop routing, range-on-map, and range-on-route — all capable of being updated over-the-air.

HERE also plans to launch HERE EV Range Factors  — aimed at reducing driver range anxiety with improved on-route battery range calculations — by the middle of this year.

Sustainability first

With 2023 officially confirmed as the warmest on record, it was not a surprise that green tech was heavily talked about on the CES floor.

Hydrogen made a surprise clean energy comeback as Hyundai outlined plans to make the alternative fuel a significant part of its renewable development strategy.

Meanwhile, trucking startup Nikola debuted its first US-built hydrogen truck and Bosch Mobility unveiled its new hydrogen combustion engine. The latter also announced their collaboration with HERE and Daimler Truck AG on an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology for commercial vehicles that automatically determines the most efficient driving style, helping to reduce driver stress, energy consumption, and CO₂ emissions.

Additionally, HERE introduced HERE Advanced Traffic Patterns, a solution aimed at enhancing estimated time of arrival (ETA) accuracy, crucial for efficient and sustainable transportation operations.

Notably, initial testing in Germany indicates up to a 15-minute improvement in ETA accuracy for heavy trucks over a 100km highway segment, highlighting its potential impact on long-distance hauls.

“The challenge in some ways is leaving CES knowing not just what are the big trends but also what you don't need to focus on as you go back to your teams and how it all connects back to your own strategy, your own vision,” said SBD Automotive’s Hart. 

“And that’s tricky because it’s so big. So many exhibitors, so many people. It’s tough but that’s a big reason why we come to the show.”