At CES, EVs take a backseat to robotaxis and AI

It says rather a lot in regards to the present second when one of many world’s largest EV sellers exhibits up on the world’s largest electronics present to announce not a brand new, extra reasonably priced mannequin or a cool futuristic idea automotive, however a humanoid robotic. And one we’ve seen already.

Hyundai’s determination to make use of its CES keynote to tout Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robotic sends a fairly clear message about how the auto business is absorbing the dangerous information about EVs in the US in 2025, and the place it thinks issues are heading within the new 12 months. EVs are out, and AI and robotaxis are in.

In the meantime, AI continues to suck all of the air out of the room. Automotive corporations appear to suppose that as a way to be taken critically by Wall Streets’ overly exuberant traders they should have an AI technique, or a chatbot, or perhaps a humanoid robotic. It’s not sufficient to simply promote vehicles anymore.

Possibly sometime CES will reemerge as a automotive present. Possibly when the auto business is feeling much less anxious about world commerce and rising manufacturing prices, it’ll be prepared to offer us a glimpse of the long run once more.