CES 2016: Expect Buzz Around Smart Homes, Smart Cars, Virtual Reality

German automotive supplier Bosch has already announced that it will show a new haptic technology that allows a conventional touch screen to emulate physical textures and buttons so drivers can operate it purely by touch without having to look at it.

Based on the numerous invites I’ve been receiving, this show will again provide a picture of what consumers will be presented with sometime within the next year or so. The company will apparently begin large-scale production of the vehicle by 2020 at a factory located in Las Vegas.

Our team will be meeting with industry leaders, reporting on big announcements, and even driving some of the cutting-edge cars.

Other big companies like BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Toyota are also geared up to make their presence felt at the event. A vehicle combining Ford’s manufacturing and distribution know-how with Google’s advanced self-driving technology could be the deal that rocks CES 2016. Cnet also expects to see the introduction of many now affordable 4K television sets, as well as 4K Blu ray players. The Mobile World Congress is fast losing its reputation as the best event to launch mobile phones. For example, platform providers announce new partners, associations introduce new members, standards groups announce new initiative and brands intro new distributors.

From the Sony Xperia Z5 Ultra to the Asus Zenfone 2, the tech world is buzzing with excitement about what new products will be shown off during the show.

Some of the companies exhibiting at CES specialize in self-driving – or autonomous – vehicles, while others are introducing gadgets to help motorists. Consumers seem excited about the potential to save money on their energy bills and save time by automating chores like shutting down lights and TVs for the night, not to mention being able to use their smartphone and voice commands to control their gear.

Over the past 12 months, Volvo has been experimenting with different digital ways of reaching and interacting with customers – from virtual reality headsets to virtual, online showrooms – while at the same time drastically reducing the number of vehicle shows it attends. As well as Detroit, the United States hosts the Chicago, New York and LA auto shows every year while in Europe, which is just as large a market, there are only two shows a year: Geneva and, for 2016, Paris.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra will also be a keynote speaker at CES 2016 and she’s expected to reveal the production version of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, which made its debut in concept form at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.