Consumer Electronics Show changes tack

By PETER BARNWELL

A REALISATION that truly autonomous vehicles are still, at best, years off has seen car-makers diverting billions into electric vehicle development to chase Tesla while simultaneously pursuing a return on investment, something reflected in the tone of the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas earlier this month. 

It bucks the recent trend of CES being a showcase for ‘free range’ autonomous driving technology that is viewed in some quarters as a flight of fancy.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) were not off the agenda by any stretch but at this year’s CES, the focus of automotive exhibits was emphatically on practicalities and ROI.

To that end, the likes of viable autonomous crop harvesting systems from tractor-maker John Deere and other similar displays commanded more attention and more exhibitors than general autonomous driving.

Word from the forecourt was that many previous exhibitors were put off by the collapse of Argo AI (the erstwhile self-driving unit of Ford and Volkswagen) and other shaky autonomous drive programs.

Publication Bloomberg Hyperdrive reported that “car companies and start-ups alike featured technologies they expect to provide a return on investment in the near-term, not in some hazy tomorrow that may never come”.

CES this year attracted 274 automotive and mobility exhibitors to the swanky Las Vegas venue in a show that was much bigger than last year’s pandemic-affected event.

Bloomberg Hypedrive quoted show promoter, Consumer Technology Association president Gary Shapiro, as saying “there’s no question that there’s been a shift”.

“The Biden administration has focused more on electric vehicles than they have on autonomous,” Mr Shapiro explained.

Adding veracity to the statement were related transportation exhibitors that concentrated on commercial battery electric vehicles (BEV) in particular, with plenty of attention on an electric Ram pick-up concept, Tesla’s forthcoming Cybertruck and Rivian’s R1T.

Bloomberg Hyperdrive’s report says Foxconn-backed Lordstown Motors showed its Endurance electric plug-in pick up while General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo also touted new BEVs.

Another salient point coming from the CES, according to Bloomberg Hyperdrive, is that, “some automotive executives are rationalising expectations on electric vehicles after confronting the reality of battery shortages and soaring raw material costs”.

“Further, they are diverting AV funds into EV development, in particular battery technology.”

Subscription driver assistance features such as Ford’s Blue Cruise and dial up ‘horsepower’ through so-called ‘connected cars’ were also front and centre at the CES.

Plenty of high-profile companies from the automotive space took the opportunity of the show to debut new products and technologies as well as to research their potential.

Among them was Qualcomm Technologies, which displayed its innovative Snapdragon Digital Chassis, comprising a set of cloud-connected platforms for telematics, connectivity (including with other vehicles and infrastructure for safety and the cloud for over-the-air updates), the digital cockpit, and driver assistance and autonomy.

Quallcomm says the platforms deliver what auto-makers and automotive software developers need to create the vehicles of the future.

In response to adverse legal findings in the US related to diesel ‘cheat’ devices coupled with the runaway success of Ford’s Lightning F150 EV pick-up, Stellantis brand Ram descended on the CES with a new electric model called the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept.

Billed as a “visionary roadmap showing how the industry’s leading truck brand will redefine the pick-up segment once again”, the new BEV ute shows where the company is heading in the near future – unequivocally towards electric vehicles.

The truck is loaded with advanced technology and Ram says it “reinvents the customer experience” by integrating leading-edge technology, a fully connected customer experience and advanced mobility features.

It also provides a heads up on future Ram styling and that includes a new face, modernised R-A-M badging and animated full LED ‘tuning fork’ headlights.

Access is unimpeded by a B-pillar through the concept’s Rolls-Royce style “saloon” doors, behind which a new interior layout promises flexibility with room to configure a workspace via the removable centre console and fold-flat surface.

Perhaps the most notable development is its third row of passenger accommodation by way of two jump seats. Other manufacturers have something similar under development.

A pass-through (and into the frunk) can fit objects up to 5.5 metres long.

The Ram EV is built on a new STLA body-on-frame architecture designed specifically for full-size electric vehicles and efficiently incorporates the battery pack with full underbody aero panels and active diffuser.

Power comes from two electric motors providing all-wheel-drive and four-wheel steering  capability.

In the world of passenger cars, providing sonorous tones was the collaborative Sony-Honda Afeela EV that uses Qualcomm tech.

Sony unveiled a prototype of the new BEV, saying it would harness its “vast entertainment content” as it looks to become a player in next-generation cars.

The Afeela features rounded corners and a sleek black roof along with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon digital chassis.

It puts a focus on the cockpit experience and offers the potential for the Sony Honda Mobility joint-venture to sell content via subscription services.

“In order to realise intelligent mobility, continuous software updates and high-performance computing are required,” said Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno.

“Afeela will be equipped with more than 40 sensors and the car will use the Unreal Engine 3D creation tool from Epic Games, the maker of the Fortnite series of games.”

For Honda, the JV might help it catch up with the shift to electric power, although the Afeela is not due until early 2026 and will be priced at a premium.

On the whacky side of things was the Meyers Manx 2.0 ‘buggy’, the first totally new vehicle from Meyers Manx in more than 50 years.

It’s a buggy with a difference thanks to a fully electric powertrain that Meyers Manx (MM) says represents, “the past brought forward”.

MM will distribute its first 50 Manx pre-production buggies to a select clientele for validation before going into final production, an unprecedented move in the automotive space.

The clientele includes multiple race team owners, professional drivers and individuals who will use their buggies on overland adventures and normal commutes. The process mirrors the original development of the Meyers Manx, with Bruce Meyers himself at the helm.

Its open cockpit and silent electric powertrain means there is little to interrupt a Meyers Manx 2.0 driver’s appreciation of natural environments. 

A claimed range of up to 480km and fast-charge facility are complemented by an electric drivetrain that is sealed for off-road security.

Erring more toward the futuristic side of retro, at CES BMW Group shared its vision of digital experiences both inside and outside the vehicle in the form of the i Vision Dee mid-size sedan concept with a new and pared-down design language.

The name Dee stands for Digital Emotional Experience and its aim is to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars.

BMW says future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today.

The i Vision Dee’s head-up-display extends across the full width of the windscreen, a feature which will become available in production BMWs from 2025 onwards.

“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge,” said BMW AG chairman Oliver Zipse.

“In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers, and also for BMW, the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure.”