Tech from automakers wows CES

Chinese and foreign automakers debuted cutting-edge technologies at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Tuesday to Friday, with a focus on smart cockpits, operating systems and artificial intelligence, showcasing their innovative capabilities.

Xpeng Aero HT, the aerospace arm of Chinese new energy vehicle startup Xpeng, unveiled its modular flying car, the Land Aircraft Carrier, at the CES 2025.

Combining an electric minivan with a detachable electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, this vehicle is priced at $300,000 and has 3,000 orders. Set for production in 2026, it is poised to revolutionize urban mobility.

The vehicle is 5.5 meters long, 2 meters wide and 2 meters high. It can be parked in a standard parking space, enter underground parking facilities, and be driven with a regular driver's license.

Xpeng Vice-President Brian Gu said that Xpeng will continue to focus on areas such as low-altitude travel and bipedal robots, with the goal of making people's mobility simpler and more intelligent.

Great Wall Motors showcased its driving-assist system Coffee Pilot Ultra, smart cockpit Coffee OS 3 and Hi4 powertrain architecture, demonstrating significant advancements in smart cabin and intelligent driving technology.

Additionally, its motorcycle brand Souo was introduced for the first time at the CES. The Souo S2000 is the first model from the brand positioned as a luxury touring motorcycle.

It is a horizontally opposed eight-cylinder eight-speed motorcycle powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip and equipped with a 12.3-inch touch screen LCD instrument panel.

Geely's premium electric vehicle arm, Zeekr, showcased three electric models — 001 FR, 009 Glory and MIX — at the CES along with some of its latest core technologies.

Among which, Zeekr introduced the self-developed Nvidia Drive AGX Thor autonomous driving computing platform, promising enhanced AI driving experiences.

Zeekr RT, codeveloped with Google's autonomous driving unit Waymo, was showcased at the event. It was built based on Geely's SEA-M architecture. Some units are currently undergoing road testing.

Zeekr will start delivering mass-produced RTs to Waymo this year for additional testing, leading up to a future public launch of robotaxi services.

Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said Chinese automakers' prominence at the CES, particularly in intelligent cabins and autonomous driving, is reshaping global auto technology trends and competition. Their showcase of advanced technology not only highlights Chinese industry progress but propels global auto transformation toward intelligence, electrification and sustainability, Wang said.

Official statistics show that a total of 1,475 Chinese companies exhibited at this year's CES, many of which were related to the auto industry, representing more than 30 percent of exhibitors, reaching a new high.

International automakers also showcased their innovations. German automaker BMW debuted the Panoramic iDrive — an overhaul of the current iDrive infotainment system.

Debuting at the CES, the BMW Panoramic iDrive is said to be the visionary driving and user experience of the near future. Panoramic iDrive redefines how drivers experience technology on the road, the company said.

At its core is BMW Panoramic Vision, a full-width windshield display that merges critical information into the driver's natural line of sight, delivering a seamless, user-focused interface that blurs the line between physical control and digital intelligence.

Its unveiling reveals the brand's next innovation of the Neue Klasse, also debuting across all new BMW models by the end of 2025.

The automaker also unveiled operating system X, a collaboration between BMW and a Chinese tech company, tailored for Chinese consumers. Set to debut in BMW's 2026 vehicles, it offers customized digital experiences, including a Chinese version of the intelligent voice assistant.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor introduced a panoramic holographic windshield display developed in collaboration with Zeiss. This innovative in-car transparent display will project essential information such as driving assistance systems, gesture-based controls and augmented reality applications directly onto the windshield for easier access.

The transparent display technology on the side windows will also showcase vehicle information and entertainment for passengers. This windshield display is expected to go into mass production in 2027 and will debut in the Kia EV9 model.

Japan's Toyota made a comeback at the CES after five years, showcasing updates on its highly anticipated Woven City project. The company aims to create a safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly urban transportation environment through smart traffic systems, autonomous driving technology and sustainable energy solutions.

The Woven City is expected to welcome its first residents as early as fall 2025.