5 things we learned at CES 2019
Five things we learned at CES 2019
With 2019 heralding the imminent arrival of 5G connectivity and some major developments in Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing, it is poised to become a pivotal year for the future of mobility. So, what better way to kick 2019 off than at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas? In recent years the event has emerged as a key platform to showcase what lies ahead in the industry. In fact, mobility is now very much regarded as one of the show’s leading stars.
Representing Bridgestone EMEA in Las Vegas was Consumer Solutions Lead, Johan Van Langendonck. Here are his five key takeaways from CES 2019:
1. Cars are getting personal
Drivers have been demanding more personalisation, and now finally that demand may soon be met. From Audi’s customisable fully touch-based multimedia displays to Nissan’s new ‘Invisible-to-Visible’ concept, which creates a virtual world around the visible one to help the driver stay aware of whatever is out of sight, and Kia’s futuristic R.E.A.D technology, which adjusts the vehicle’s environment in line with the driver’s mood by reading their facial expression and heart rate to create a more enjoyable driving experience, the car is getting ever more personal. We are excited to see these new concepts come to life soon, so that we all can enjoy safer and more pleasant rides.
2. Connected car services for all
Many aftermarkets connected car solutions saw the light of day in 2018, and this trend seems to continue in 2019. At CES, Pioneer Electronics – in partnership with vehicle recovery system LoJack – have announced rDrive. This solution brings the many benefits of the connected car to legacy vehicles already on the roads. So now you won’t need a new car to experience enhanced connectivity, safety, location-based services and in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots – you just need an app and an onboard device.
3. The electric mobility future is getting closer
Not only are manufacturers extending their range of EV models, but they are also increasingly exploring ways to address charging issues. Honda showed exactly that at CES with ‘Wireless-Vehicle-to-Gird’. This solution lets vehicles recharge when parked over a wireless charging pad, and gives energy back to the grid to help meet demand during peak usage periods. With Honda investing to address this critical EV success factor, we can expect other manufacturers to soon follow.
4. Autonomous vehicle manufacturers to address safety concerns
As most would have predicted, autonomous vehicles (AVs) were front and centre at CES 2019. Nvidia launched its Level 2 self-driving system ‘Drive Autopilot’, Ford talked about its partnership with Walmart to explore autonomous goods delivery and so on. But despite the buzz created, safety concerns still dominate the conversation, with drivers now claiming to favour AVs with limited capabilities over the real deal. But confidence in the technology will be regained if there is greater governmental oversight over the development and use of AVs – and of course no more incidents to cause further doubt.
5. 5G and Quantum Computing are here and will enable smart cities
Smart cities are one of the big reasons to get excited about 5G. But we’ll also need some serious computing power to make sense of all that data in (near) real-time. That’s why we are very excited that IBM debuted the ‘Q System One’ – the world’s first integrated quantum computing system – at CES. It will be technology like the ‘Q System One’ that will deliver at scale the Internet of Things (IoT) and the personalisation solutions required for smart cities to be a reality.
