We have been prepping for the major news coming out of CES this week in Las Vegas. As you can see there is full schedule of connected car related activities that will be keeping us busy.
The best thing to do at CES is to figure out what you want to see while still at your hotel then go to the locations of where most of your interests lie and explore from there. This year, the North Hall and much of the center tented plaza area is devoted to car tech.
Automaker exhibitors include Volkswagen Mercedes-Benz, Ford Motor Company, Audi, BMW, Kia and Toyota. There will be many technology suppliers to the automotive industry including DENSO, Hyundai Mobis, HERE, Bosch, Rinspeed, Continental, ZF, Visteon, IBM, Valeo, NXP, Qualcomm, NVIDA, Alpine, Pioneer, KARMAN, Magellan and others.
An added glitch for 2016, will be that the weather forecast for Las Vegas calls for showers most of the week. This will add a nice element to driving test vehicles, especially autonomous cars that use cameras but will also slow down all traffic in the area.
The thing that is really going to s-l-o-w everything down it the new security measures for over 175,000 people.
CTA announced that it has added more security features for 2016 at CES. No luggage or rolling bags of any size can be brought into the exhibit or conference areas. Only two small 12” x 17” x 6” bags can be brought into the show. CES exhibitors and credentialed members of the press may receive exceptions. Bags will searched, clear or meshed bags are preferred to make things go faster.
Everyone will be subject to metal detector screening and pat downs. Bag checking availability will be limited. More security and law enforcement personnel will be inside and outside the show properties. Police officers and explosive detection dogs will be through the facilities.
All attendees must have an official CES badge and government-issued photo ID before entering CES show venues.
Then after going through security you can visit the booths and visit the seminars. CTA recommends downloading and using the CES app to help navigate the events.
Because of the massive security at events at the convention, we think that visiting other venues at off hours will make things easier, especially for the media. Faraday Future is revealing its concept car on Monday evening while many other products will be on display during Pepcom and ShowStoppers. The press and media will have an entire day of events at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on Tuesday, where there will security but it will not mean moving through venues. There are several venues for CES and each time you move from one to another there will be more security checks.
For Bluetooth SIG members to learn about Bluetooth products they can visit The Discover Blue reception at the Mirage. Connected software programmers can visit the Trump Tower on Wednesday and Thursday evenings for demos from the GENIVI Alliance.
The good news is that Las Vegas personnel usually do a wonderful job of dealing with people and we expect this year will be no exception.
The most important reveals will depend on what you find the most interesting. We would like see the new Chevy Bolt, a Ford Google car (if there is one), the new BMW 3D gesture technology, new Toyota infotainment system, the Delphi self-driving car, the Volkswagen EV, QNX concept car and meet with the next best greatest inventors in the connected car space.
Since our last round-up other suppliers have announced what they will be displaying at CES include Autoliv and Green Hills Software.
Uber recently was approved for the state of Nevada. Uber and Vinli are teaming up to offer free, unlimited in-car WiFi to Uber passengers during the week of CES. With 4GLTE Wi-Fi powered by Vinli’s onboard connected-car device.