While Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang made major waves at this year’s CES, it was the auto industry that stole the show.
From new concept cars, self-driving trucks, next-gen infotainment, and even flying cars, it was auto stories that grabbed headlines from CES this week. After all, cars are now, basically, consumer tech. Here are the top stories out of the Las Vegas-based tech conference.
The Honda 0 SUV, right, and Honda 0 Saloon EV prototypes are on display at the Honda booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) ·ASSOCIATED PRESS
Honda (HMC) unveiled its two latest EV concepts at CES, with the debut of the first two models in the company’s new 0 Series line of pure EVs: the Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon prototypes. Though they are still prototypes, both models are scheduled to launch in North America in 2026.
Their design is a departure for Honda, with the SUV sporting a retro-futuristic look and the “Saloon,” a wedge-shaped extended wagon reminiscent of a Lamborghini. The two vehicles will also use Honda’s ASIMO onboard operating system for next-gen EVs and chips from Renesas Electronics, which will enable Level 3 (or “eyes off,” as Honda says) self-driving capabilities.
The Honda 0 SUV, right, and Honda 0 Saloon EV prototypes are on display at the Honda booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) ·ASSOCIATED PRESS
Honda also showed an updated version of its Afeela 1 sedan, a joint venture project with consumer electronics giant Sony (SONY).
The Afeela has a more traditional look, though some auto watchers compared it to a Lucid Air. Inside it’s all Sony, with the full-screen dash powered by Sony software, including the ability to play PS5 games, among other in-car entertainment features.
While the car isn’t exactly new — it debuted last year — it’s got a new price tag and customer service experience. Shoppers purchase the car on the company’s site and pick it up at a dealership.
“We are taking a direct-to-consumer approach to simplify the customer experience and enhance your satisfaction,” Shugo Yamaguchi, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility of America said of the Afeela, with its just announced $90,000 price tag. “All processes from reservation to sales are taken care of through our website.”
Representative Director Chairperson and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Yasuhide Mizuno presents the AFEELA 1, a new electric vehicle, during a Sony news conference at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 6, 2025. (IAN MAULE/AFP via Getty Images) ·IAN MAULE via Getty Images
Though Honda showed off three new EVs for the US market, the company was still cautious about its EV production in the US as a result of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to roll back EV tax credits and incentives. Honda has a major factory in Ohio and plans to build an “EV Hub” there as well.
“Because of Trump’s initiatives, we might be very careful how we would start production,” said Honda executive vice president Noriya Kaihara from CES. “Maybe we might have to delay our start of the production of the EV models somehow.”
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang addresses participants at the keynote of CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 6, 2025. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) ·NurPhoto via Getty Images
Nvidia and Huang also made auto headlines themselves.
“We’ve been working on self-driving cars now for some time,” Huang told Yahoo Finance’s Dan Howley at CES this week, noting that Nvidia’s technology for autonomous driving is already set to generate $5 billion in annual sales for the AI chipmaker.
Huang unveiled Nvidia’s Cosmos platform for developers to simulate its self-driving vehicle software, the company’s latest push into the auto market.
“If it’s already a $5 billion business for us, imagine how big it’s going to be when we have 100 million new [self-driving] cars per year,” Huang added. “This is likely going to be one of the largest robotics industries in the world and one of the largest computing industries in the world.”
Nvidia announced new partnerships with Toyota (TM) to power computing and autonomous tech for its next-gen EVS and autonomous trucking company Aurora Innovation (AUR), which will use its specialized chips for self-driving vehicle systems. Nvidia’s newest DRIVE Thor chip for autonomous driving is based on the architecture of its latest Blackwell AI chips.
Toyota did not say which upcoming vehicles would use Nvidia tech, while the Aurora deal also brings in Germany’s Continental (CON.DE), which will manufacture the driverless trucks.
A screen showing the new BMW panoramic iDrive is displayed during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) ·ASSOCIATED PRESS
BMW (BWM.DE) once again took to CES to unveil its latest infotainment software and digital driver cockpit.
BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment and UX experience will feature panoramic vision, a full display bar above the dashboard with an accompanying center console screen below that will provide the driver with car data, information, and entertainment functions.
BMW created a gigantic life-size display on a stage for CES attendees to see the system on a grand scale.
A Holographic Windshield display is projected on the windshield of a car at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) ·ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hyundai took things even further with its Hyundai Mobis division, unveiling its Holographic Windshield Display, powered by augmented reality. Hyundai said the first-of-its-kind display projects driving information — including navigation, infotainment, and safety alerts— as a layer of graphics across the entire width of the front windshield in front of what the driver is seeing ahead.
Germany’s Zeiss will power the optics for the technology, and the first car to receive the holographic windshield feature will be sister brand Kia’s upcoming EV9.
Xpeng’s AeroHT “Land Aircraft Carrier” modular flying car ·Xpeng AeroHT
It wouldn’t be CES without something completely out there. Leave it to the Chinese EV makers like XPeng (XPEV) to stun attendees with a new vision of land and sky for the driver.
XPeng debuted its much anticipated AeroHT, which basically looks like a futuristic modular EV van —though one with six wheels. Plus, it’s got a party trick in the back — a fully deployable electric eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that the driver and one lucky passenger can fly in.
XPeng says it only takes five minutes to learn, and three hours to master, flying in the drone-like aircraft, which has an innovative single-joystick design. Though a concept, XPeng says the “Land Aircraft Carrier” modular flying car is coming soon, with a presale on the way.
AThe XPENG AEROHT, a modular flying car, sits on display at XPENG’s booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 7, 2025. (IAN MAULE/AFP via Getty Images) ·IAN MAULE via Getty Images
Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram
