AI and Self-Driving Technology Take Center Stage at CES as Automakers Pull Back on EVs
Autonomous driving and artificial intelligence are set to dominate the agenda at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, as automakers scale back electric vehicle plans and look to AI-driven technologies as their next growth engine.
With EV demand cooling amid policy changes under Donald Trump and rising costs, most major automakers are skipping new EV launches at CES this year. Instead, suppliers and startups are expected to showcase advances in self-driving hardware, software and AI-powered driver assistance.
Industry leaders say investor attention is shifting toward autonomy. Recent moves — including limited robotaxi launches by Tesla and rapid expansion by Waymo — have renewed optimism after years of safety incidents, heavy spending and regulatory hurdles.
AI will feature prominently beyond vehicles, powering robots, wearables and smart devices. Keynote speakers include Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices.
Cost pressures remain a major concern. Automakers are absorbing higher tariffs and facing intensifying competition from Chinese rivals, prompting a sharper focus on efficiency and capital discipline as they bet that AI and autonomy — not EVs — will define the industry’s next phase.