THE Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is best known for the launch of things like the X-Box 1, or PS4, or the next generation Wii from Nintendo, but many car companies also use it to showcase motor vehicle technology.
Among those attending the show this year are Kia, Jeep and Toyota. In a major move for the Korean brand, Kia Motors will use the event to reveal an all electric concept car, as well as showcasing their HMI – or human-machine interface technology.
Combining Kia’s design strengths with a highly efficient battery-electric power train, the new concept represents the next step in the brand’s ongoing journey to electrification. The brand will also demonstrate the first ever 5G in car connection.
For Jeep, the show will provide a launch platform for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, and a special version of the popular SUV, overloaded with cutting edge technologies including the award-winning fourth-generation Uconnect system.
Uconnect comes with an 8.4-inch display, 4G LTE connected services, enhanced processing power, multi-touch gestures, vivid imagery, sharper graphics and the ability to support smartphone integrations of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In addition, an all-new Jeep Adventure Reality app will debut for the 2018 Wrangler. For Toyota, the show will allow it to launch Platform 3.0, its next-generation automated driving research vehicle.
Developed by the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the new platform, based on a Lexus LS 600h L, combines greater technological capabilities with harmonised styling that integrates the automated vehicle technology into the LS model’s design.
The program aims to help Toyota be a pace setter for automated vehicles; blend the sensing equipment into the vehicle design, and package the automated vehicle technology in a manner that is easy to reproduce for building a fleet at scale.
The 2018 Consumer Electronics Show is held in Las Vegas, Nevada. It opens its doors to the public on Monday, 8 January.
