CES 2026 spotlights rapid advancements in automotive AI and autonomous systems

The CES 2026 in Las Vegas has highlighted a surge in AI-driven automotive innovations, with key announcements on software-defined vehicles, robotics integration, and next-generation perception platforms, signalling a rapid evolution in mobility technology.

CES 2026 in Las Vegas has refocused the technology world’s gaze on automotive, AI and autonomous systems, with a cluster of keynotes and product debuts that underline how chipmakers, OEMs and robotics firms are ...

The week’s schedule emphasised compute and AI at the centre of mobility. AMD Chair and CEO Dr. Lisa Su delivered a high-profile keynote on January 5 at The Venetian outlining an “AI Everywhere, For Everyone” vision and unveiling Ryzen AI Embedded processors intended for edge AI use cases such as automotive digital cockpits, humanoid robotics and autonomous systems. According to AMD, the keynote also referenced the company’s role in the U.S. government’s Genesis Mission , including AMD-powered AI supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory , and highlighted plans for future server and accelerator platforms the company says will dramatically increase AI performance. The company framed these announcements around securing U.S. leadership in AI and supporting thousands of student innovators through an AI robotics hackathon. (AMD press materials and event page)

Sony Honda Mobility used CES as the stage to elevate its nascent mobility brand. The joint venture world‑premiered the Afeela prototype on January 5 and staged a first independent press conference showcasing the Afeela 1 pre-production vehicles alongside a new concept, with the company describing the Afeela Intelligent Drive as an advanced driver assistance stack intended to evolve toward an end-to-end AI model with Level 4-equivalent capabilities in future iterations. The company said the vehicle’s Afeela Personal Agent will use Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service for conversational experiences, and that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis will underpin future electrical/electronic architectures. Sony Honda Mobility’s announcement was presented as a major step toward deliveries planned later in 2026. (Sony Honda Mobility press release; event listing)

Hyundai Motor Group used CES to set out a sweeping AI robotics strategy under the banner “Partnering Human Progress,” with the group presenting Boston Dynamics’ next-generation Atlas robot at its January 5 Media Day and promising groupwide deployment of AI robotics in manufacturing. Hyundai and NVIDIA also signalled deeper collaboration: industry coverage noted plans to deploy humanoid robots in manufacturing from 2028, beginning at the EV plant in Georgia, and characterised the Atlas demonstration as remotely operated in Las Vegas while commercialisation is slated to move to autonomous operation. The disclosures underline Hyundai’s continued prioritisation of robotics as part of electrification and factory automation efforts. (Hyundai announcement; SBD Automotive reporting)

Chip- and software-led demonstrations underlined how central perception and centralised compute are to ADAS and SDVs. STRADVISION and Renesas showed SVNet FrontVision camera perception running on Renesas’ R-Car X5H platform, a 3nm R-Car platform the companies say supports real-time front-camera perception within centralised vehicle architectures. Industry reporting also covered NVIDIA’s launches at CES , including an open-source toolset called Alpamayo for autonomous driving and physics-informed AI models , and Intel’s AI-focused Panther Lake chip, highlighting how multiple silicon vendors are competing to be the backbone for vehicle AI. (STRADVISION/Renesas briefings; AP coverage)

Tier‑1 suppliers and component makers used the show to knit mechanical innovation to software-defined futures. Schaeffler exhibited a suite of intelligent motion technologies , from planetary gear actuators for humanoid robots to bearing solutions for energy and data centres , positioning its mechanical expertise as complementary to digital and data-driven vehicle architectures. Karsan presented “Karsan AI,” framing autonomy and electrification together for public transport and emphasising an end-to-end, continuously learning approach the company says is already field-proven. These vendor showcases were pitched as building blocks for smarter factories, sustainable electrification and autonomous fleets. (Schaeffler briefing; Karsan statement)

Energy and infrastructure featured on panels addressing the enabling systems for mass EV adoption and autonomous operations. Sessions on smarter grids, investment in energy transition and future power systems ran alongside mobility programming, reflecting industry recognition that vehicle electrification and autonomy will depend on resilient, intelligent energy systems. The CES agenda bundled these sessions with “Great Minds” talks on SDV stacks, centralised compute and vehicle OS strategies that many guests characterised as the backbone of next‑generation vehicle software. (CES programme listings)

Taken together, CES 2026 presented mobility as a systems challenge: vendors pitched silicon, software stacks, perception and mechanical subsystems as integrated solutions for which partnerships across OEMs, Tier‑1s, cloud and chipmakers will be decisive. Companies emphasised timelines for in-field deployment , from Hyundai’s manufacturing robots in 2028 to Sony Honda Mobility’s planned deliveries later in 2026 , while announcing technical foundations such as Snapdragon Digital Chassis integration and Renesas R‑Car-based perception. Coverage from multiple outlets also noted tensions in the road to autonomy: demonstrations and prototypes dominate the show floor, but several companies stressed that real‑world, fully autonomous operation remains a multiyear effort requiring regulatory, infrastructure and validation advances. (Press releases and trade reporting)

Source: Noah Wire Services