Auto tech is always a big part of CES, and this year was no exception: BMW teased a color-changing car, John Deere unveiled a self-driving tractor, and we saw companies committed to making electric vehicles more affordable while ramping up their technology.
BMW
BMW presented the new electric iX concept car, featured electronic panels with the same technology used in a Kindle. The auto company showed how an owner could switch the car’s color from black to white in a matter of seconds. However, the carmaker didn’t announced any plans to bring this technology to a production vehicle.
The fluid colour changes are made possible by a specially developed body wrap that is tailored precisely to the contours of the all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle from BMW. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology brings different colour pigments to the surface, causing the body skin to take on the desired colouration.
“The BMW iX Flow is an advanced research and design project and a great example of the forward thinking that BMW is known for.”
Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design
GM’s CHEVROLET
Chevrolet launched the new Silverado Model with 400 Mile Range starting at $39,900 and the 2024 Chevy Equinox starting at $30,000.
After the September 2021 announcement that the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Debut Edition sold out in just over ten minutes—without communicating how many vehicles are part of that launch edition—GM is now taking another page out of the same book and says the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST First Edition sold out in 12 minutes.
“The reception has been great, the First Edition of the RST sold out in 12 minutes and reservations are still coming in, so we’re super excited about the response that we’re getting because this is a ground-up EV truck that has so much capability we’re so excited to share with the world.”
GM CEO Mary Barra in an interview with Bloomberg
SONY
Sony unveiled during CES 2022 a new prototype of its Vision-S Electric Vehicle and announced the founding of an EV company.
Two years go, Sony Group announced VISION-S, an initiative aimed at contributing to the evolution of mobility, and exhibited a prototype vehicle. To demonstrate this concept in the real world, Sony started public road testing in Europe in December of the same year, and started verification tests of the safety and user experience of the imaging and sensing technology installed inside and outside the vehicle, and the human-machine interface (HMI) system.
Sony began 5G driving tests in April 2021, and will continue to apply its cutting-edge technologies to provide new experiences in the realm of mobility, which is undergoing a shift to electric vehicles (EV). The electronics giant “intends to explore entry into the EV market” it said in a statement.
VinFast – Vietnam’s first auto company – previewed two electric SUVs last November and rolled three more in CES planning to launch its U.S. dealer network later this year. The other foreign entry was Togg, a Turkish startup showing off a sedan concept styled by legendary design house Pininfarina.