CES 2017: Top 5 Automotive Announcements

HIGHLIGHTS

• Faraday Future's FF91 can go from 0-100 kmph in under 2.5 seconds
• The Honda NeuV is designed to pick up and drop off passengers
• Amazon Alexa voice control system to be introduced in Ford cars

The Consumer Electronics Show or CES ended last week and although the show has always been known more for handheld gadgets and smart phones, etc; this year, the focus of the show clearly seems to have shifted more towards smart mobility than ever before. SO here are our top five announcements from the CES that are getting us excited.

Faraday Future FF91 SUV:

Faraday Future FF91

Startup automotive manufacturer Faraday Future has finally unveiled their SUV for the future at CES 2017. Faraday Future had tweeted that it would "unveil the future" and the FF91 clearly looks like it belongs on another planet! And this is not a concept car but a production ready one! Under the skin, the FF91 can go from 0-100 kmph in under 2.5 seconds thanks to a 1050 bhp electric power unit. The range on the FF91 is upto 700 kms and can recharge its lithium ion batteries in just one hour to full capacity. With some uncertainty about Faraday Future's future, we do hope the auto manufacturer survives and makes the FF91 which is due for a public launch in 2018.

Honda NeuV:

Honda NeuV

The tiny Honda concept vehicle certainly seems to have captured hears at the 2017 CES show despite being very strange in terms of design. The NeuV concept is essentially a two seater urban vehicle that is Honda's first foray into smart ride sharing car platforms. The NeuV designed to pick up and drop off passengers when its owner isn't using it, meaning it can earn its owner money. Of course, the NeuV is electric and has features like quick charging. It will be interesting to see how these ride sharing smart cars of the future will play out a decade from now.

Toyota Concept-i:

Toyota Concept-i

From one Japanese manufacturer to another. The Toyota showcase at the 2017 CES was aimed more towards automobiles with Artificial Intelligence or AI rather than just showcasing future automotive hardware. Toyota already makes a range of hybrid cars globally including the popular Prius, which is why their participation at CES isn't surprising. The Concept-I comes with an artificial intelligence agent, called Yui. Yui essentially takes communicating with your car to a next level with the AI actually learning your habits and then responding with in-car lighting, sound and touch. Toyota says that a simple question and answer based voice command system (like Siri) is outdated and this is the future.

Amazon Alexa and Ford:

Amazon Alexa and Ford

Ford's participation at CES might have been overshadowed by their announcement that they pulling out of their new Mexican plant but the American manufacturer had a few surprises up its sleeve to make its presence worthwhile. In terms of current tech, Ford announced the Fusion hybrid in its latest avatar - a car that will also be the basis of its autonomous driving program for the next few years. The new car has many advancements in its sensors and according to Ford, is much more aware of its surroundings.

The biggest Ford announcement at CES was that it will introduce the Amazon Alexa voice control system to its cars. That's a big deal for Amazon, which had made significant in-roads in getting its service into pretty much every facet of day to day life.

Nvidia AI car platform:

Nvidia and Audi

With all the tech major getting into the automotive space for a piece of the pie, it was no surprise that Nvidia would follow suite. Nvidia, known more for its excellent processing chips and graphic setups has tied up with Audi to make the next generation of autonomous vehicles. Audi and Nvidia have announced that they will showcase a self driving car in the next 12 months. The two companies have already been working closely in the last one year to make this new AI car platform that will act as a base to future Audi products.