The 2021 CES Expo Features Plenty of New Auto Tech

The Consumer Electronics Show, an opportunity for manufacturers to present the best of their new technology, is held every year in January. Because of Covid, the 2021 show was presented digitally on January 11-14. Every year, new advancements in science and technology are presented in many different categories from personal computers to military defense to automobiles. Last year was the year of the EV at the show and many new technologies for electric cars were presented.

This year, there are more automotive technologies we’re excited about. This year, the focus is new tech and safety. Below are some examples of the new cutting-edge technology we’re eager to learn more about.

 The EV Routing Platform

On the first day of the show, HERE Technologies presented their new EV Routing Platform— for both private and commercial use– a new technology that aims to reduce stops to charge an EV’s battery and to optimize battery charging times. The EV Routing Platform is a routing API built on top of a HERE map and is included in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) products.

HERE believes that eradicating range anxiety is the key to getting more EVs on the road. By optimizing a charge and eliminating stops, their EV Routing Platform gets the most out of a charge. The platform is changeable and personalized to every driver. The company states, “EV Routing takes into account topography, road geometry, real time traffic information and traffic patterns while planning trips. It can be synced to the consumption model of the vehicle and can be adjusted to different driving styles, loads or weather conditions.”

Jussi Koski, VP of Product Management at HERE says, “EV Routing does more than show you the way to a charging station. It provides the most optimal route, including charging times, while taking into account static and dynamic data such as charging speed or real time traffic conditions.”

The Head Up Display

Also on Monday, Panasonic introduced the Head Up Display (HUD) that projects holographic dashboard images on the driver’s windshield. The goal of HUD is to reduce driver distraction by keeping eyes on the windshield rather than a dashboard display. Panasonic wants to “Define the user experience for the future of transportation”, according to Smart Cities Drive.

The HUD uses eye-tracking technology, 3-D imaging radar, and vibration control, among other features, to being a clear, stable picture to a windshield image.

Driver’s Cockpit

Four-time CES Innovation Award winner Mindtronic AI is creating a driver’s cockpit that interacts with the driver every moment of the trip. The cockpit includes 3D animation, face ID, bio-interactive HMI, and DMX driver assist, all designed around driver safety.

The center console of the cockpit contains a 12.3” HD screen with infotainment software and advanced map systems. The DMX driver assistant monitors driver exhaustion, the shallowest levels of sleep, inattention, recklessness, or possible illness/heart attack, and takes control of the car if the driver seems unable to operate it. This is just one of the features of the cockpit, which will use face and palm recognition to personalize the experience for each driver.

While many drivers are on the fence about self-driving, autonomous, cars, cars that become self-driving during an emergency only are likely to present a popular safety option to consumers.

The AV Mapping Technology

On the subject of autonomous vehicles, Intel-backed Mobileye reports its crowd-sourced mapping technology, which has mapped 1 billion km to date, “can support Mobileye’s scalable benefits globally without the need to deploy specialized engineers to new locations”, according to Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua. Mobileye will be able to send vehicles to local teams, which can launch the AVs after safety training.

Mobileye will also expand its number of test fleets, currently in Detroit, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, and New York in early 2021 “with enhanced radio- and light-based detection-and-ranging sensing capabilities.”

EV Innovation

On the 13^th, a conference was held at the expo on electric vehicles. “Automotive Transformation: EVs and Connectivity” will address how the industry is overcoming challenges to an industry that changes by the moment.

Connections, whether electric connections between car and EVSE, or human and industry connections, will be vital in the effort to keep the EV industry moving forward.

The CES show delivered many new advances in all forms of technology. New automotive advances focus on safety and sustainability. Blink is ready and eager to engage and expand the technology of tomorrow, such as our new IQ 200 charger, which can charge a Tesla 3 in half the time of a normal Level 2 charger. Charge On.