CES 2026 in review: AVs could bring EVs back to the top of the agenda

Ten years ago CES was marked by automakers looking beyond traditional formats to signal their intent towards consumer electronics. Endless halls gave way to Vegas show-and-tells, as the BigTech tide swept up carmakers to become digitally-enabled ACES (autonomous vehicles (AVs), connectivity, electrification and shared mobility). On-demand mobility seemed just around the corner, and brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz held court with in-car experiences. This year’s CES shows that future still beckons; it is just taking longer to get to. It is also no longer owned by carmakers. 

Despite China’s cleantech surge, one of 2025’s big shifts was EU and US carmakers rowing back from full EV portfolios. This might ensure short-term viability, but brings with it the headache of integrating SDV (software defined vehicle) technologies within ICE platforms. There is however a threshold being crossed with electric-only autonomous vehicles, as they take to the streets of London and Munich. An upsweep in demand for AVs may push EVs back up to the top of the agenda. One question is how this impacts brand positioning, as car makers consider their offer here alongside the service providers that are fast becoming the face of next mobility. 

This could be a false dichotomy here that risks decision-making bias: that ICE equates to private and premium, and EVs equate to AVs and mainstream products. What we have seen in Europe is that the brand must stay in the lead to legitimise diversification, but should not close the door on high-growth areas. The prospect of moving more people for less money and lower emissions is a touchstone achievement in automotive history; carmakers now have the chance to be part of it.

As EVs and AVs erode the fringes and margins of mainstream brands, one of the more significant announcements came before CES, with Alpina joining the BMW Group umbrella as BMW Alpina. This pulls the ladder further out of reach from new aspirants, adopting the value over volume model that Porsche is pivoting to. It might also mean livery more sympathetic to bodyside themes.

Ford also teased their next-gen BlueCruise ADAS that is cheaper and more capable for eyes-off driving in 2028. Given how many patents Ford has for L4 scenarios they will want to get there as soon as possible

This year carmakers had a smaller footprint at CES, with tech companies filling the space. NVIDIA partnered with Mercedes-Benz to enable autonomous cars, moving from scripted behaviour to realtime adaptation for edge scenarios. It’s a significant step-forward, not least because their Alpamayo datasets are open-source – the freemium model is alive and well. Less well covered are the ‘what if’ scenarios, such as the power outages that recently grounded Waymo’s fleet. 

NVIDIA points to the dependency carmakers now have on their partners (note: no longer ‘suppliers’), but begs the question at what point does a company become a brand? And when does a brand name exceed what the customer is willing to pay for? BYD is proof of how an energy company can succeed in selling cars. That NVIDIA announced plans to launch a robotaxi service with a partner next year should come as no surprise.

One advantage carmakers have is allowing users to access various tech ecosystems. This year Mercedes-Benz partnered with several companies to deliver automotive’s biggest trends: in-car AI with Microsoft and Google, context-aware navigation with HERE, and L4 autonomy with NVIDIA. Inside the GLC, the MBUX Hyperscreen uses content untethered from physical zones, interactions instead driven by occupant position and intent. This sets the stage for partner integration, such as HERE’s live-maps, and personalised interior experiences on course for greater fidelity through AI-enmeshed metadata. This demands greater synchronicity between digital, physical and brand design teams, not to mention tech partners.

BMW announced their latest Intelligent Personal Assistant using Amazon’s AI Alexa+ Architecture, fronted by a floating orb with generously kerned kidneys (E60?) as eyes. Ford’s AI assistant will debut in the company’s smartphone app, before expanding to their vehicles in 2027. Ford also teased their next-gen BlueCruise ADAS that is cheaper and more capable for eyes-off driving in 2028. Given how many patents Ford has for L4 scenarios they will want to get there as soon as possible.

AI is also moving into the full vehicle lifecycle. Virtual development, simulation, and validation are shortening cycles and improving quality. Showcasing the power of partnerships, British brand Longbow championed their 900kg Speedster with four Donut Labs in-wheel motors and solid-state battery promising stellar stats: 400Wh/kg energy density; lower cost than lithium; 5 minute full-charge for up to 100k cycles; and made of ‘globally abundant materials’. Though pending independent verification, the buzz around Donut Labs affirms that this is at least the desired direction. 

For technophiles, the ‘Body-Based Tech’ session demonstrated wearables' rapid evolution. Neurable showed EEG headphones as a brain-computer interface for focus monitoring; Quellios demoed smartphone fingertip scans for dietary management; Elemind presented EEG headbands with audio stimulation to induce sleep; Sandbox VR highlighted full-body motion sensors for immersive VR; and Viziverse AI revealed mobile phone VR without need for headsets. No mention of mobility from Meta, instead deepening their tie-up with Ray-Ban to drive adoption of surveillance and communication tech within a growing portfolio of wearables.

In the consumer sector there were notable launches from Lego and Fujifilm, with 2026 marking Lego’s first CES. Their Smart Brick developed with Cambridge Consultants packs motion, pressure, and proximity sensors within the classic 2x4 piece. Screenless interactions are enabled through contextual audio and LED feedback, with Smart Minifigures that recognise builds without apps or optical scanning. 

As the sovereignty of carmakers is challenged, the down-payment on automotive futures is being made by their partners

However launching the SmartBrick within a Star Wars set intensified the scrutiny of what will for some be a contentious direction. Meanwhile, retro is back (again) with Fuji, whose Instax Mini Evo Cinema features an analogue ‘Eras’ dial that applies decade-specific visual and audio effects, from 1930’s grain to 2020’s clarity. Gimmick, maybe, but a fun way to bridge humour, tech and craft. 

It wouldn’t be CES without mention of robots. NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang announced that ‘the ChatGPT moment for Physical AI is here’, while Boston Dynamics deployed their Atlas robot at a Hyundai plant to handle parts movement. Having human-sized machines for human-sized spaces helps them dovetail into industrial contexts, but the notion of their traipsing around the home drew scepticism. In that sense, the diminutive Honda Asimo and LG Home Hub show how sensitive scale is to making people feel comfortable with technology. 

Speaking at CES, Hyundai’s vice chair, Jaehoon Chang, acknowledged concerns that workers could lose their jobs to robots, adding that people are still needed to train them. This tacit acknowledgement of AI’s impact on the social contract has barely been broached, let alone answered. 

CES is notable for bringing to the world stage a hub-and-spoke approach to innovation, where basic research created at a foundation level builds knowledge equity, validated through high-value use cases. This approach provides scientific capital, and sets the fund from which the practical application of knowledge can be drawn and new companies founded. As the sovereignty of carmakers is challenged, the down-payment on automotive futures is being made by their partners.