FEATURE | What we saw at CES 2023

The world’s largest technology show, CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show and held annually in Las Vegas in the US, returned for its biggest in-person event since the pandemic hit.

At CES 2023 there was a huge emphasis on automotive. Manufacturers present included Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Sony Honda, Peugeot and BMW. EVs were given noticeably more floor space than ever before.

Interest in standalone motor shows have been in decline or cancelled altogether, such as the Geneva International Motor Show, in favour of long-standing tech expos such as CES and Mobile World Congress Barcelona held in February. CES showcases cutting edge technology, prototypes and trends that usually set the tone for the year ahead.

Straight out of a science fiction movie is BMW’s i Vision Dee EV concept that marries technology and emotions. Dee stands for digital emotional experience, which offers a glimpse into BMW’s “Neue Klasse” of vehicles in 2025.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said: “It is our vision of pushing the boundaries between physical and digital perception. Dee embodies the next level of human machine interaction.”

He said hardware and software will merge to form an "intelligent companion’", calling it the future for automotive manufacturers.

Despite its retro reductive design, i Vision Dee is packed with futuristic tech such as a colour changing E Ink in 32 colours, an advanced head up display (HUD) that needs to be activated to use, and a mixed reality slider that is central to controlling the vehicle, including powering it up.

There are personalised digital experiences such as voice interaction; welcome screens that use graphics, light and sound; nine facial expressions shown on the closed grille; displaying the driver’s avatar on the window screen, and' automated doors at approach.

The concept is a digital companion that shows emotion, adapts to the driver, turns the windscreen into a metaverse, offers mixed reality experiences and lets you access news or social media. It sounds like a sensory overload, but only time will tell how BMW implements the tech into something practical on its new class of vehicles in 2025.

Also tapping into our emotions was the highly anticipated Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) electric concept sedan named Afeela.

Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO at Sony Honda Mobility, said Afeela represents its “concept of an interactive relationship where people feel the sensation of interactive mobility and where mobility can detect and understand people and society by utilising sensing and AI technologies”.

It sports a full-width digital dashboard and side-view cameras. Naturally, the main screen will focus on entertainment that supports the real and virtual worlds through a partnership by Fortnite creator Epic Games.

It has a "media bar", a narrow screen on the front bumper that displays its name, the weather and charging status, among other information, to communicate with anyone outside the car.

Afeela will make use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon digital chassis for its advanced driver systems, a human machine interface, and telematics.

It is equipped with 45 cameras and sensors inside and out, has 5G, and 800 TOPS (tera/trillion operations per second) of maximum computing power for the engine control unit. Time of Flight sensors will be used to detect accidents, and it will support level 3 autonomous driving in limited conditions.

SHM will develop a production model based on Afeela with pre-orders planned for 2025, and delivery in North America by 2026.

Yet another EV concept unveiled at CES was Peugeot’s Inception in a striking design with sharp angles and straight lines. The vehicle also signals a new era for the brand’s future EV line-up in 2025.

Linda Jackson, CEO of Peugeot, said: “In 2023 our entire line-up will be electrified and in the next two years five new 100% electric models will be launched.”

The Inception has 500kW of power and features dual electric motors with a 100kWh battery that claims 800km of range from a single charge. It accelerates from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds.

Its 800V architecture supports up to 225kW charging speeds and adds 150km of range from a quick five-minute charge. It is equipped for wireless induction charging, though no word on charging speeds.

The interior features a next-generation i-Cockpit with a "Hypersquare" rectangle steering wheel that has touch controls on all four corners. The driver can access navigation, climate, media and so on without removing their hands from the steering wheel.

It has level 4 autonomous driving, and when activated the Hypersquare retracts into the dashboard and a large panoramic screen slides up from the floor. Peugeot plans to introduce the Hypersquare on a next-generation vehicle before the end of 2030.

Volkswagen rebranded its ID.Aero prototype initially revealed in China to the ID.7, which was unveiled at CES. It is the first electric sedan from the company, following a hatchback (ID.3), three SUVs (ID.4, ID.5, ID.6) and a van (ID.Buzz).

The ID.7 was shown in smart camouflage  which lights up the exterior using 40 layers of paint. Up to 22 areas can be controlled individually, and if connected to a sound system, the rhythm is visualised interactively.

The EV has a new display concept, augmented reality HUD, a 15-inch screen, new climate controls with intelligent vents and illuminated touch sliders. If the driver says “Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold” the steering wheel’s heat function switches on.

The ID.7 is one of 10 EVs VW will launch by 2026.

Akabor attended CES 2023 as a guest of BMW South Africa.