The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8 this year, focused primarily on the automotive, IoT, smart home, healthcare, metaverse and XR, AI and computing segments. Counterpoint’s automotive team analyzed over 150 automotive-related announcements during CES to identify key trends. The main focus of the automotive industry at this year's CES was on electric vehicles (EV), followed by autonomous vehicles, infotainment, connectivity, components and maps. There was a lot of excitement surrounding autonomous vehicles at the event, but EVs accounted for the biggest share of news flow.

Here are the top 10 automotive announcements from this year’s CES, according to Counterpoint analysts:

1. Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC to bring software-defined vehicles to reality

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC, a disruptive solution for expanding its low-power, advanced computing capabilities into the automotive space as part of its Snapdragon Digital Chassis initiative. This solution is built on a heterogenous compute architecture that addresses multiple workloads and is pre-integrated with the Snapdragon Ride Vision Stack. This gives automakers the flexibility to use the Ride Vision Stack across all vehicle tiers without sacrificing performance. In addition, its cloud-native architecture enables a smooth workflow for software development and deployment. The Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC is expected to go into production by 2024. Qualcomm is striving to maintain its leadership position in the software-defined vehicle era and make the transition easier for automakers and tier-1 suppliers.

For a more detailed report on CES 2023's automotive announcements, click here:

2. Sony Honda Mobility introduces Afeela EV brand

Sony Honda Mobility finally announced its JV brand Afeela, which will bring its first EV model to North America in 2026 followed by Japan and Europe. Afeela’s first production model was teased at CES 2023. Sony and Honda announced their JV back in March 2022. Afeela will introduce a series of EV models that will carry Sony’s expertise in IVI systems, ADAS components and in-cabin electronics, while Honda will contribute to the brand’s performance with its e-powertrain system as well as battery sourcing and charging capabilities. According to the announcement, Afeela aims to offer better vehicles at a relatively lower cost. These EVs are expected to be positioned above Honda’s own EVs, but whether Afeela will share the same slot with Honda’s premium Acura brand is yet to be determined.

3. BMW previews next-gen color-changing concept with ‘digital emotional experience’

BWM previewed its next-gen 3 series concept model based on the Neue Klasse platform. The new i Vision Dee concept (Dee stands for ‘digital emotional experience’) showcased a monolithic exterior styling that can be divided into 240 different segments. The whole exterior can support different design styles like stripes, patterns and animation, and can curate up to 32 different colors. Though detailed specifications have not been shared, i Vision Dee features a new OS and a new fully controllable HUD with windscreen projection. Traditional infotainment has been removed. The dashboard conceals various touch sensors which can be used to display content on the HUD. The model will be powered by BMW’s sixth-generation EV powertrain and is expected to enter production in 2025 as a BMW i3 successor.

4. Volkswagen showcases new ID.7 wrapped in electroluminescent camouflage

Volkswagen showcased its sixth all-electric ID model, the VW ID.7, wrapped in special QR code-inspired camouflage to hide the final styling. The camouflage was inspired by electroluminescent technology which lights up 22 different sectors of the car. Volkswagen disclosed some technical details before the model’s final reveal during the second quarter of 2023. Initially, the ID.7 will have a 77kWh battery pack and a claimed 700-km range. The interior will feature a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an AR-based HUD and a smart HVAC system that can automatically modify the cabin temperature when the key fob is close. Volkswagen expects its new model will compete with Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 and Tesla’s Model 3.

5. LG, Magna form second JV for ‘executable’ autonomous driving, infotainment solutions

Two of the biggest tech companies LG and Magna have again joined hands to develop solutions for automated driving by leveraging their areas of expertise. LG and Magna already have a JV that manufactures e-powertrain and other hardware like inverters, motors and onboard chargers for EVs. The new JV will explore the ADAS and AV market to develop “executable” automated driving and infotainment solutions to enhance customer experience by addressing the toughest challenges. LG’s vehicle component arm has been eyeing new openings in the automotive market and believes the increased connectivity of cars of the future presents new opportunities.

6. Harman aims to make driving assistance more intuitive, safer

Harman is all set to deliver enhanced in-cabin safety and awareness through its AR-based HUD hardware and AR-based software products. Harman has been a trusted name for vehicle audio for decades but now as the automotive industry makes a transition towards software-based experiences, the company has developed its own technology that enhances the drivers’ experience by bridging the gap between physical and digital worlds in a non-intrusive manner through its AR-based HUDs. Harman’s Ready Vision uses ML-based 3D object detection and computer vision to deliver collision warnings, lane departure, low-speed zone notification, blind spot warnings and lane change assist with high precision without breaking the driver’s concentration. Harman claims Ready Vision works with precision even in the most unfamiliar driving scenarios, making driving safer.

7. BlackBerry has a busy CES with launches, partnerships

BlackBerry’s IVY software platform, developed in collaboration with Amazon, won its first design contract with PATEO for the all-electric VOYAH H97 model's digital cockpit. BlackBerry also launched QNX Accelerate, which supports the QNX RTOS and QNX OS for safety in the AWS marketplace. Leading tier-1 suppliers like Continental and Marelli are already testing it to create automotive metaverse environments for software-defined vehicles. BlackBerry is partnering with Elektrobit to develop automotive safety solutions using the Rust programming language. It has also formed partnerships with Texas Instruments for embedded software development and with Garmin for improving the in-car experience. These partnerships show that BlackBerry is attempting to regain market presence through its infotainment, security and OS products.

8. Innoviz launches new LiDAR, forms multiple partnerships

Innoviz, a leading player in solid-state LiDAR sensors and perception software, unveiled the Innoviz360, a cost-effective and high-performance LiDAR that will support a range of non-automotive applications such as smart cities, logistics, maritime, heavy machinery, and construction, in addition to Level 4-5 (L4 and L5) autonomy applications. Loxo, a zero-emission autonomous vehicle provider for last-mile delivery, has partnered with Innoviz to use the InnovisOne LiDAR. Deep-tech company EXways, which works in 3D LiDAR processing, has also partnered with Innoviz to leverage the technology for multiple applications.

Innoviz has previously formed partnerships with major automakers such as BMW and Volkswagen, as well as tier-1 supplier Magna. At CES, Innoviz also showcased the InnovizTwo LiDAR, which it claims offers a 30x performance improvement over the InnovizOne and a 70% cost reduction. With the growing adoption of autonomous vehicles, LiDAR technology is expected to be high in demand as major auto OEMs including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW, Stellantis, Volkswagen and Volvo plan to use it.

9. NVIDIA introduces in-car cloud gaming experience

NVIDIA is partnering with Hyundai Motor, BYD and Polestar to offer a cloud gaming experience through its NVIDIA GeForce NOW service for cars. GeForce users will be able to access over 1,000 paid and free games through this service. While video games are not new in cars, the addition of GeForce will provide a more PC-like gaming experience. This will also drive the trend of cellular connectivity in the passenger vehicle market, as cloud gaming will require embedded 4G or 5G connectivity.

10. Google launches HD maps, partners with Volvo, Polestar

Google announced that it would make HD maps available for Level 2+ autonomous vehicles. The Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 will use Google’s HD maps service in addition to Google's Android Auto solution. While Google is gaining some traction in the automotive sector through its Android Auto offerings, it will face strong competition from existing players like HERE and TomTom whose offerings in HD maps and other related services are helping them maintain leadership in the location platform market. To compete with these leading players and local players like Amap, Navinfo, Naver, MapmyIndia and Zenrin, Google is seeking to enhance the user experience in this segment.

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