Coming soon to a driveway and kitchen near you: flying cars and robotic potato mashers.The annual Consumer Electronic Show (CES) show in Las Vegas has long been billed as a glorified toy exposition, featuring the latest in video games and set-top boxes only geeks of a certain generation could love.But that’s changing with the 2024 edition of the world’s largest trade show, which is featuring a decidedly electric — and eclectic — collection of what could be best described as ‘climate tech’ meant to address new government requirements to combat climate change.To be sure, the usual gimmicky televisions and holographic movie projectors are on display, but they’re being superseded with a proliferation of high-end electric battery and transportation technologies for the house and home..Major EV manufacturers such as Honda and Kia are unveiling next-generation concept cars that look more like spacecraft rather than automobiles, while celebrities such as Martha Stewart are showing off robotic household kitchen appliances using exotic fuel sources such as hydrogen to make her signature mashed potatoes.Of particular note is a new flying taxi concept by South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai that envisions an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle designed as a commuter solution for urban areas in heavy traffic.Dubbed the S-A2, Hyundai claims the vehicle will be able to transport a pilot and four passengers 500 metres above traffic jams at a cruising speed of around 190 km/hour while operating as quietly as a dishwasher — for less than USD$100,000.It’s one of no less than half a dozen various flying/driving concepts unveiled at the show.First approvals are expected in 2026 followed by full production by 2028. Initial users are expected to be cab companies and delivery drivers, although it is being aimed squarely at a mass market audience. The company is accepting pre-orders..Another theme is artificial intelligence, which is being incorporated into everything from eyeglasses for the blind to hearing aids for the visually and hearing impaired. A Romanian start-up unveiled what it is billing as a replacement for seeing-eye dogs and white canes."If you look at what solutions are out there, you will actually only find two, and that is the white cane and the guide dog. They're both thousands of years old and unfortunately, the guide dog costs up to €60,000 (CAD$88,000) to train," Lumen CEO Cornel Amariei told Euronews Next.But not all new devices have been as enthusiastically welcomed.Automaker BMW is showcasing Alex-controlled virtual reality glasses used as an aid for driving and navigation — although critics called it a “recipe for distracted driving” that will eventually become a glorified advertising platform for Google.More than 4,000 exhibitors and 130,000 attendees are attending the show that concludes Friday.
Coming soon to a driveway and kitchen near you: flying cars and robotic potato mashers.The annual Consumer Electronic Show (CES) show in Las Vegas has long been billed as a glorified toy exposition, featuring the latest in video games and set-top boxes only geeks of a certain generation could love.But that’s changing with the 2024 edition of the world’s largest trade show, which is featuring a decidedly electric — and eclectic — collection of what could be best described as ‘climate tech’ meant to address new government requirements to combat climate change.To be sure, the usual gimmicky televisions and holographic movie projectors are on display, but they’re being superseded with a proliferation of high-end electric battery and transportation technologies for the house and home..Major EV manufacturers such as Honda and Kia are unveiling next-generation concept cars that look more like spacecraft rather than automobiles, while celebrities such as Martha Stewart are showing off robotic household kitchen appliances using exotic fuel sources such as hydrogen to make her signature mashed potatoes.Of particular note is a new flying taxi concept by South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai that envisions an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle designed as a commuter solution for urban areas in heavy traffic.Dubbed the S-A2, Hyundai claims the vehicle will be able to transport a pilot and four passengers 500 metres above traffic jams at a cruising speed of around 190 km/hour while operating as quietly as a dishwasher — for less than USD$100,000.It’s one of no less than half a dozen various flying/driving concepts unveiled at the show.First approvals are expected in 2026 followed by full production by 2028. Initial users are expected to be cab companies and delivery drivers, although it is being aimed squarely at a mass market audience. The company is accepting pre-orders..Another theme is artificial intelligence, which is being incorporated into everything from eyeglasses for the blind to hearing aids for the visually and hearing impaired. A Romanian start-up unveiled what it is billing as a replacement for seeing-eye dogs and white canes."If you look at what solutions are out there, you will actually only find two, and that is the white cane and the guide dog. They're both thousands of years old and unfortunately, the guide dog costs up to €60,000 (CAD$88,000) to train," Lumen CEO Cornel Amariei told Euronews Next.But not all new devices have been as enthusiastically welcomed.Automaker BMW is showcasing Alex-controlled virtual reality glasses used as an aid for driving and navigation — although critics called it a “recipe for distracted driving” that will eventually become a glorified advertising platform for Google.More than 4,000 exhibitors and 130,000 attendees are attending the show that concludes Friday.
