CES 2025: Car Innovation Behind the Scenes

3 min read

Key Takeaways: At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, automotive innovation took a backstage role this year. AI assistants, software-defined vehicles, and autonomous driving dominated conversations, while classic concept cars became rarer.

Already implemented and looming import tariffs kept many Chinese automakers from exhibiting at CES 2025. But they weren’t alone—European manufacturers were also scarce this year. Only BMW truly stood out among European brands with its new cockpit called “Panoramic iDrive,” which spans the entire width of the dashboard below the windshield.

Full-width digital cockpit: BMW Panoramic iDrive

The expanded digital cockpit doesn’t just display the speedometer—it’s fully configurable and customizable. It also integrates a head-up display (HUD) for navigation and driving cues, a feature BMW has offered under the name “Panoramic Vision” for some time. The operating system’s name, OS X, may cause some confusion, since while BMW collaborates closely with Apple and has no qualms about it, the software in question isn’t iOS but rather Android-based, specifically the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).

Other innovations from the Old World played out more behind the scenes, as Business Insider puts it. The magazine highlights Volkswagen’s collaboration with Mobileye in Las Vegas, where they announced the launch of Moia’s fully autonomous ridesharing service in Hamburg. If all goes according to plan, the fleet will grow to around 10,000 vehicles in the Hanseatic city and its surroundings by 2030.

Teuermann Afeela 1 by Honda and Sony

The Japanese manufacturer Honda unveiled two further-developed, highly futuristic prototypes at CES—a sleek SUV and a sedan—that, according to Autobild, will define the look of the new electric models in its “0 series.” The Saloon sedan also boasts a sporty stance, thanks to an ultra-flat battery that maximizes interior space. The cockpit stretches across the entire front panel, much like in a BMW or a helicopter.

In partnership with Sony, Honda also introduced the new Afeela 1, which the two Japanese companies plan to produce in Ohio starting in 2025—likely to sidestep US import tariffs. Deliveries are slated to begin in mid-2026, but the entry-level electric vehicle will carry a price tag of nearly $90,000, while the Afeela 1 Signature will top $102,900. That steep pricing may make it tough to compete, especially against cheaper Chinese rivals.

The long list of promised sensors—including LiDAR—and a three-year 5G subscription won’t offset the sticker shock, and critics point out that the touted 300-mile (480 km) range feels underwhelming at these prices.

Side-display and 360-degree visibility

“Are we there yet?” may soon be a thing of the past on endless road trips, thanks to a new fully dimmable side-window display developed by German supplier Continental. The technology uses a miniature projector tucked into the headliner, with potential uses ranging from ad space to showing an EV’s charging status.

Suzuki made its CES debut in January 2025 with Glydways, a glass-walled minibus designed for urban transit. The Glydcar, from startup Glydways, drives fully autonomously and is expected to shuttle up to four passengers to San Jose International Airport in California.

Elsewhere, tech giants like Mobileye, Nvidia, and Qualcomm stole the show at CES, Business Insider reports. “Manufacturers are increasingly reduced to providing mere shells for the rolling laptops of tech behemoths,” the magazine concluded.

Editor’s Picks

• Government grants are slowing SMEs: Why just doing it yourself is often faster
• Managed Services: Why mid-market firms outsource IT instead of building it
• NIS2 compliance: What SMEs still need to tackle now

More from the MBF Media Network

cloudmagazin | SecurityToday | Digital Chiefs

Source for title image: iStock / Jae Young Ju