I talked to 10 auto industry execs and saw over 20 cars at CES 2020. It's clear that companies are now shunning pipe dreams for more practical approaches to the future of mobility.
- There was plenty of excitement among automakers at this year's edition of the consumer tech expo CES and a focus on electrification, self-driving cars, and more sophisticated infotainment systems.
- But there was also a heavy dose of pragmatism.
- While CES is known for outlandish concept vehicles, there were a large number of production cars on display this year.
- And executives were quick to discuss the practical side of future-oriented technologies.
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The Consumer Electronics Show is a time for optimism, when companies can show off their best ideas for the present and the future. There was plenty of excitement among automakers at this year's edition of the conference and a focus on electrification, self-driving cars, and more sophisticated infotainment systems.
But there was also a heavy dose of pragmatism. For every outlandish concept vehicle, like the Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR sedan, which was inspired by the film "Avatar," there was a vehicle scheduled for production, or one that looked ready for it, like the Nissan Ariya Concept, an electric SUV that was placed at the center of the automaker's booth. While labeled as a concept vehicle, the Ariya's styling wouldn't look out of place on the road today, and Nissan plans to release a production version next year. Ford, which at CES in 2018 outlined a vision for connecting vehicles, pedestrians, and infrastructure while shying away from specific timelines, focused this year on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. The Mach-E will hit dealerships at the end of the year.
Even at an event dedicated to the Vision AVTR, there was a connection to immediate, real-world concerns. During his opening remarks, Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz's parent company, Daimler, focused more on sustainability than the futuristic tech features in the Vision AVTR, like a biometric pad that replaces the steering wheel, ignition, and gearshift.
Car companies struck a pragmatic tone
The practicality on display at CES also stemmed from an increasing recognition that mastering transformative technologies, like self-driving cars, will take more than enthusiasm and ambition. It will also require a thoughtful approach to how those technologies interact with the world around them.
Uber has clashed with some cities it entered without warning, leaving the ride-hailing service banned in London and Germany, while complaints about the hazards of electric scooters that were quickly dropped in cities by startups like Bird and Lime have led some local governments to cap the number allowed in their jurisdictions.
Both cases have shown that the "move fast and break things" ethos embraced by Silicon Valley startups can invite unintended consequences that pose moral and logistical challenges.
"The investment in going into a city is tremendous," said John Rich, the COO of Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC. "We can't have an adversarial relationship. We have to be solving their problems. We have to be invited in."
No automaker at CES split the difference between idealism and realism more than Toyota, which put at the center of its display a smart-city prototype it will build in Japan. Called the Woven City, the prototype will serve as a testing ground for a number of technologies, including self-driving cars, robots, and smart homes, creating an opportunity to see how they work together. While renderings of the Woven City have a science-fiction sheen to them, the project will focus as much on urban design and renewable energy as it does on high-tech gadgets.
"Peope have to be at the center of anything that Toyota does," said James Kuffner, the chief technology officer of the Toyota Research Institute. "It means that we aren't just building technology for technology's sake, but really thinking about how people could have happier, healthier, green lives."
Even the CEO of an EV startup was rooted in reality
The toned-down rhetoric was not just confined to established automakers who have been slow to translate the innovations popularized by cell phones to their vehicles. Daniel Kirchert, CEO of the electric-vehicle startup Byton, whose debut vehicle, the M-Byte SUV, will have the auto industry's largest dashboard screen, said the company does not want to reinvent every part of the automotive business. Instead, it will focus on innovating in areas where it believes it has an edge.
"We should not believe that we can do too many things," Kirchert said. "We need to stay very focused."
In an apparent reference to Tesla, which struggled mightily when it tried to automate much of its vehicle-assembly process in 2017, Kirchert said Byton would not follow a similar path, instead attempting to implement the auto industry's best practices for manufacturing.
Ultimately, a shift away from speculation and toward implementation could bode well for the auto industry's seemingly inevitable transition to electric and self-driving vehicles. Only when an idea inches toward reality do the details of executing it take precedence.
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