At CES 2026, the latest automotive technology made its grand appearance. While the buzz around "agentic AI" in cars and other vehicles dominated the conversation, it's essential to remember that this tech has some very real applications for advanced and autonomous driving.
Several companies showcased impressive concepts, prototypes, and proof-of-concepts that highlight what's coming in the car world. One of the standout features was the massive front screen on Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1, which extends from the passenger door and is made up of two displays: a 12.3-inch screen for gaming and media viewing and a 28.5-inch screen for the main display. This sleek design allows passengers to interact with the car's infotainment system in an immersive way.
Another notable feature was Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis, a showcase car that brought to life the infotainment, AI assistant, and automated driving and safety features that run behind the scenes of a car. The concept car equipped with 13 cameras and 20 speakers demonstrated impressive capabilities, including driver assistance for a passed-out driver and proactive photo-taking to check on the passenger's well-being.
Several companies also unveiled new autonomous vehicles, such as Waymo's Ojai, an electric minivan decked out in a new Waymo hue. This vehicle features many of the same cameras, radar, and LiDAR sensors that are used in other Waymo vehicles, ensuring its safety on the road.
Moreover, Uber is powering a fleet of Lucid Gravity EVs with Level 4 self-driving capability from Nuro and Nvidia compute power. The driverless taxis were unveiled at CES 2026 as prototypes that will be deployed in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year, pending certification.
Voice control technology was also on display, thanks to Cerence AI's agentic AI platform for cars, called xUI. This system allows drivers to set up voice shortcuts to control various functions, such as opening all windows with a single phrase.
Finally, Garmin showcased its In-Cabin Meta Neural Band, which uses Meta's Neural Band in the car. Wearing this band, passengers can use their thumb, index and middle fingers to control a touchscreen without touching it.
These innovative technologies demonstrate what's coming in the automotive world. While some might be more experimental than others, they all contribute to an exciting future for autonomous vehicles, advanced driving features, and user-friendly infotainment systems.
Several companies showcased impressive concepts, prototypes, and proof-of-concepts that highlight what's coming in the car world. One of the standout features was the massive front screen on Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1, which extends from the passenger door and is made up of two displays: a 12.3-inch screen for gaming and media viewing and a 28.5-inch screen for the main display. This sleek design allows passengers to interact with the car's infotainment system in an immersive way.
Another notable feature was Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis, a showcase car that brought to life the infotainment, AI assistant, and automated driving and safety features that run behind the scenes of a car. The concept car equipped with 13 cameras and 20 speakers demonstrated impressive capabilities, including driver assistance for a passed-out driver and proactive photo-taking to check on the passenger's well-being.
Several companies also unveiled new autonomous vehicles, such as Waymo's Ojai, an electric minivan decked out in a new Waymo hue. This vehicle features many of the same cameras, radar, and LiDAR sensors that are used in other Waymo vehicles, ensuring its safety on the road.
Moreover, Uber is powering a fleet of Lucid Gravity EVs with Level 4 self-driving capability from Nuro and Nvidia compute power. The driverless taxis were unveiled at CES 2026 as prototypes that will be deployed in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year, pending certification.
Voice control technology was also on display, thanks to Cerence AI's agentic AI platform for cars, called xUI. This system allows drivers to set up voice shortcuts to control various functions, such as opening all windows with a single phrase.
Finally, Garmin showcased its In-Cabin Meta Neural Band, which uses Meta's Neural Band in the car. Wearing this band, passengers can use their thumb, index and middle fingers to control a touchscreen without touching it.
These innovative technologies demonstrate what's coming in the automotive world. While some might be more experimental than others, they all contribute to an exciting future for autonomous vehicles, advanced driving features, and user-friendly infotainment systems.