At CES, EVs take a backseat to robotaxis and AI

Jan 07, 2026 03:30 AM - 4 months ago 131217

It says a batch astir the existent infinitesimal erstwhile 1 of the world’s largest EV sellers shows up astatine the world’s biggest electronics show to denote not a new, much affordable exemplary aliases a cool futuristic conception car, but a humanoid robot. And 1 we’ve seen already.

Hyundai’s determination to usage its CES keynote to tout Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot sends a beautiful clear connection astir really the car manufacture is absorbing the bad news astir EVs successful the United States successful 2025, and wherever it thinks things are heading successful the caller year. EVs are out, and AI and robotaxis are in.

In summation to Hyundai, Mercedes announced its plans to rotation retired its Nvidia-powered Level 2++ driver assistance characteristic successful the US later this year. Also coming successful 2026 is Uber’s caller Lucid Gravity robotaxi, which was besides connected show astatine CES. And Nvidia, the world’s biggest chipmaker and arguably the institution astir responsible for the existent AI bubble, announced a caller family of open-source models called Alpamayo, which it says will powerfulness caller autonomous and driver-assistance features.

CES has ever been a hotbed for robots and different type AI ephemera, but it besides utilized to beryllium the hottest car show around. It’s wherever Chevy announced its first mass-market EV, the Bolt, and wherever everyone from Honda to BMW to Ram would stitchery to show disconnected early battery-powered concepts. You could spot color-changing cars, shape-shifting vans, and moreover a fewer flying cars if you were lucky.

This year, the only point pinch four-wheels to make its debut was Sony and Honda’s caller Afeela SUV prototype. The regular Afeela was location too, 5 years aft its first debut and still conscionable short of production.

It shouldn’t travel arsenic overmuch of a astonishment fixed the existent dour temper astir EVs. Growth successful world income is expected to slow importantly successful 2026, arsenic China winds down immoderate EV subsidies, Europe wavers connected its prohibition connected the waste of state cars, and the US reverses overmuch of its ain policies to get much group to bargain EVs. Automakers crossed the committee are reining successful their EV plans, pivoting alternatively to hybrids and extended-range EVs.

Meanwhile, AI continues to suck each the aerial retired of the room. Car companies look to deliberation that successful bid to beryllium taken earnestly by Wall Streets’ overly exuberant investors they request to person an AI strategy, aliases a chatbot, aliases moreover a humanoid robot. It’s not capable to conscionable waste cars anymore.

Maybe someday CES will reemerge arsenic a car show. Maybe erstwhile the car manufacture is emotion little anxious astir world waste and acquisition and rising manufacturing costs, it’ll beryllium fresh to springiness america a glimpse of the early again.

Follow topics and authors from this communicative to spot much for illustration this successful your personalized homepage provender and to person email updates.