CES 2026 spotlights automotive technology, from AI to software-defined vehicles

Demonstrations of hands-free and urban driving systems highlighted progress toward higher levels of automation, while Rivian, Tesla and Waymo pointed to robotaxi services and “eyes-off” functionality as the next commercial frontier. Lucid, Nuro and Uber added momentum with plans for the Lucid Gravity robotaxi, a sensor-heavy vehicle designed for shared fleets and targeted for deployment in late 2026. 

Sony Honda Mobility updated its Afeela 1 pre-production EV and unveiled a new prototype, highlighting its push to sell cars as AI-enabled digital platforms rather than transport assets. Marketed as “experience spaces on wheels,” the vehicle integrates displays, gaming and AI personalization tied to Sony’s entertainment ecosystem. The vehicle will offer Level 2+ driver assistance at launch, with greater autonomy planned.

Voice and AI assistants continue to evolve

Voice and AI assistants also continued their evolution from hands-free interfaces into predictive co-pilots. Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are now embedding large language models for in-car queries, maintenance guidance and energy management.

Rather than relying on general-purpose automotive AI, manufacturers are increasingly turning to domain-specific automotive language models trained on navigation data, vehicle controls and safety rules to improve reliability. Cerence demonstrated conversational systems capable of anticipating driver needs, pointing to a more adaptive and context-aware approach to human–machine interaction, an automotive technology highlight at the CES tech conference.

Safety and interior intelligence feature at CES automotive conference

Safety and interior intelligence featured prominently. Smart Eye highlighted in-cabin intelligence at CES 2026, showcasing real-time alcohol detection and production-ready driver monitoring on a single electronic control unit with Green Hills Software. This approach to automotive technology meets emerging safety regulations while enabling under-display cameras, iris authentication and AI-driven driver support.

A focus on deployable software-defined EVs

In other CES 2026 news, EV technology itself continued to advance, though with a more pragmatic focus. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the electric GLC, featuring 800-volt charging, a claimed 713-km range and AI-powered voice integration. The company also announced MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO for US cities, an SAE Level 2+ system designed for complex urban environments using a 30-sensor suite already deployed in China. 

Autel Energy demonstrated fleet-oriented AC and DC charging systems with automated load balancing, which dynamically adjusts power to each charger, while Pioneer highlighted scalable AI-enabled solutions for cars and motorcycles. Across the CES 2026 floor, the emphasis shifted from concept vehicles to deployable, production-ready automotive technologies.

Connectivity and edge computing for autonomous vehicles 

Connectivity emerged as another foundational theme at the CES tech conference. Vehicle-to-everything communication, satellite links, hybrid networks and edge computing—processing data locally on the vehicle rather than relying solely on the cloud—are increasingly seen as essential to ensuring reliability in low-signal or high-density environments, particularly for autonomous and shared mobility use cases.

The convergence of consumer electronics in the cockpit

The automotive cockpit is rapidly converging with consumer electronics, evolving into an agentic, multimodal AI environment that understands intent, context and safety. AI agents now integrate navigation, productivity and ADAS, shifting the experience from reactive commands to proactive assistance. This intelligence is matched by maturing hardware: large pillar-to-pillar displays, advanced head-up interfaces, natural voice control and projected surfaces that turn the cabin into a fully immersive digital space.

Premium audio is also emerging as a differentiator for software-defined vehicles, with players like BMW, Dirac, Dolby, Mercedes-Benz, Pioneer and QNX showcasing over-the-air upgradable spatial audio platforms. Yet despite rapid innovation, monetization still lags—highlighting a persistent ROI gap in connected services and the need for smarter, value-driven business models.

Rapid change in automotive AI development

Vehicle software development itself is undergoing rapid change, as CES 2026 highlights. KPIT Technologies unveiled its Agentic AI suite built on generative AI and Microsoft Foundry to support model orchestration and policy controls.

The platform aims to accelerate development, reduce defects and enable real-time decision-making, reflecting growing demand for industrial-grade AI in safety-critical automotive technologies.

Hyundai, meanwhile, highlighted the role of robotics in its manufacturing strategy for software-defined vehicles, showcasing Boston Dynamics’ next-generation Atlas humanoid robot. Fully electric actuators, 360-degree joints and reinforcement learning enable adaptive movement, linking vehicle production, logistics and automation into a shared AI-driven ecosystem.

CES 2026 highlighted a shift in automotive strategy: cars are increasingly positioned as intelligent, upgradable platforms within broader digital and data ecosystems. Robotaxis, software-defined vehicles, AI-driven safety systems and personalized interfaces signal a move away from hardware specs toward software, data governance and user trust.

Across the CES conference, automakers conveyed a consistent message: the next phase of competition will hinge less on electrification alone and more on intelligence, software capability and scalable execution. Concept-led spectacle is giving way to deployable automotive technologies built for reliable real-world operation.