I've Spent 18 Years Covering Autos at CES. Flying, Thinking, Autonomous Cars Are Closer Than Ever
SOURCE:CNET|BY:Antuan Goodwin
The annual Consumer Electronics Show always has the coolest car tech. I predict the 2026 event will include flying vehicle prototypes and automotive AI that is useful.
CES 2026 will be my 18th time heading to Las Vegas to cover all of the cars and automotive technology at the world's largest tech show. After all this time, stepping into that convention center still feels like stepping into the future, and this year should be no exception. While the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January is sure to be full of surprises, my years of experience covering the techiest corners of the automotive industry have given me loads of insight into the big show.
At my first CES, car tech was mostly aftermarket car audio equipment and portable GPS devices. Then in 2011, Ford unveiled its all-electric Ford Focus, kicking off an explosive decade of automotive debuts at CES. More and more automakers brought their biggest high-tech concept cars and new model debuts to the show and dominating North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Post-pandemic, I’ve noticed those traditional automakers largely shifting away from big vehicle debuts and refocusing their CES efforts on detailing the cutting-edge technologies inside and around their cars, like infotainment, autonomous driving and smart infrastructure. This shift has opened up new space (figuratively and literally) at the show for automotive outsiders, startups and mobility newcomers to thrive, and I’ve seen CES trending over the last five years toward exciting innovations in automotive artificial intelligence, EV startups, new robotics and air mobility concepts.
Based on the trends I’m seeing in mobility technology this year and nearly two decades of experience covering the automotive industry, here are my best predictions for what mobility and car tech trends we'll see this year at CES 2026, from flying cars to thinking cars to cars that move in ways we’ve never seen before.
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My auto-tech predictions for CES 2026
More flying car concepts than ever before, with at least one company announcing an actual roadmap to public air taxi flights.
Improved conversational AI inside the car that's able to handle more complex and predictive tasks.
Modest improvements in autonomous driving software and the hardware that powers it.
More insane robotic car concepts that explore moving in new ways.
Rise of the 'flying cars'
At this point, it's basically a given that there will be at least one "flying car" showcased at CES 2026. Over the last decade, I've seen it all -- from startups looking to take ridesharing to the sky to established automakers experimenting with electric aircraft concepts. In 2024, the big news was Hyundai's air mobility wing, Supernal, debuting its flight-ready electric air taxi. The highlight of the 2025 show was Xpeng Land Carrier, a plug-in hybrid SUV from Chinese automaker XPeng AeroHT that could deploy a small electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft from its trunk.
There's a reason I put those quotation marks around "flying cars." Most of the concepts we've seen so far aren't, in my opinion, actually cars. I've seen a lot of air taxis -- eVTOL aircraft billed as quieter, affordable and eco-friendly alternatives to helicopters -- but these require a pilot's license and air traffic control. Eventually, developers expect these aerial shuttles to be autonomously piloted. The rest of the concepts are ultralight electric aircraft that don't require a pilot's license, but (at least, here in the US) can't be flown over populated areas. They're essentially large drones that you can sit in for short recreational flights. Neither type fits my Jetsons-style definition of a personal flying car that I can fly or drive from my driveway to the office.
Semantics aside, eVTOL developments have been coming fast and furious this year. Last March, Alef Aeronautics demonstrated a literal flying car. The Model Zero Ultralight was shown first driving on a road and then lifting off to fly over another stopped vehicle. The prototype appears to make significant roadworthiness (and perhaps crash-worthiness) compromises to gain the power of flight, but Alef is accepting preorders on the $300,000 flying car. Just a few weeks ago, the appropriately named Jetson air mobility company released a video racing its Jetson One eVTOL. That's just the tip of the iceberg; these are exciting times for fans of electric aviation.
Last year, Xpeng AeroHT stole the show with a hybrid SUV that could deploy an ultralight eVTOL craft from its trunk.
Flying car concepts: What to expect at CES 2026
I expect there to be more eVTOL concepts and prototypes at CES 2026 than ever before. The most concrete news for urban Americans will likely pertain to air taxis and electric air shuttles, but I believe we'll see more than a few ultralight personal aircraft and more true road-to-air concepts that stick closer to the pure definition of a flying car that you can drive on the road (most likely from bold Chinese automakers like XPeng AeroHT).
In addition to the vehicles themselves, I expect there will be a lot of talk about the infrastructure and support systems that will power networks of urban air taxis. Recently, Archer Aviation announced that it would purchase Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles as a "strategic air taxi network hub and AI testbed." CES would be a great opportunity for Archer and other players in the urban air mobility space to announce partnerships with airlines, cities and airports, plans for air traffic control, or (hopefully) a roadmap heading toward public flights.
An AI friend in your dashboard
About the only CES automotive prediction more certain than cars that fly are cars that think. Last year, we saw artificial intelligence and large language models working their way into everything from phones and PCs to refrigerators, robo-vacuums and cars.
Last year, Volkswagen announced a partnership with Cerence to bring ChatGPT to the dashboard of its cars and electric SUVs, which I was able to try out at the show. Meanwhile, Honda's 0 concepts promised an AI future where your car is your best friend, learning your preferences and predicting your needs. (Where have I heard that before?)
Mercedes-Benz announced a wild plan to bring IMAX movies to the dashboard of its vehicles, news that was overshadowed by new partnerships with Google and Microsoft to power its MBUX AI voice assistant. Since CES, I've spent time on the road with Benz's AI assistant, and it was hands-down the best, most natural voice command experience I've ever used, so I have high hopes for how this technology can develop, if done correctly.
Volkswagen got an early start adding AI to its dashboards at CES 2025, but its rivals have since made major leaps as well.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Conversational AI in cars: What to expect at CES 2026
Automakers and software companies show no sign of lifting the automotive AI accelerator, so I expect to see even more deeply integrated automotive AI coming at CES 2026. The safest bet is on more AI voice assistants; more automakers will announce that they're bringing LLMs like ChatGPT or Google Gemini to vehicles in the very near future. It's the easiest way to join the AI party with the most observable "what's in it for me" for consumers, enabling drivers to go beyond simple hands-free calls and voice commands to complex voice-based tasks with natural, conversational language.
However, I'm anticipating more unique applications of AI tech as software developers and automakers strive to stand out from the voice assistant crowd. Expect to see AI more deeply integrated into the core software stack of vehicles at CES, enabling drivers to interact with more than just their car's infotainment display. How about a car that uses AI to self-diagnose and can recommend maintenance based on actual conditions rather than just prescribed mileage? That's not the most exciting example, but the sky is the limit (for better or worse) as cars become more software-defined.
Autonomous and robotic cars
Let's also not forget that AI software powers more advanced safety systems and autonomous driving. CES' West Hall will be chock-a-block with self-driving cars, driver assistance technologies, and the hardware and software that power them.
Perhaps my favorite demonstration of what's possible when automobile and robotics collide is the Hyundai-Mobis Mobion concept from CES 2024. This electric hatchback took the concept of four-wheel steering to the next level with the ability to articulate each wheel up to 90 degrees to pull off wild spins and lateral movement for the easiest U-turns and parallel parking you've ever seen.
Autonomous driving: What to expect at CES 2026
The current state of self-driving cars is an interesting one. The hardware required to make it happen is fairly mature, so expect to see modest improvements in radar, camera, sonar and lidar-sensing technology that promise to be smaller, more reliable and more affordable.
The biggest leaps remaining are in the software powering the tech and the infrastructure, regulations and governance surrounding the vehicle -- all of which are more difficult to showcase in a trade show booth. I expect that means my colleagues and I will be spending a bit of time outside of the LVCC, hopefully taking rides in the next generation of autonomous cars and robotic taxis, as well as checking out new driver aid features and automotive user interfaces.
I'm most excited about the potential for robotic mobility outside of the car. I'm talking about autonomous delivery robots, electric go-karts, self-balancing motorcycles and crazy alternative mobility concepts. Not too long ago, Hyundai Mobis showcased a wild walking vehicle that looked like something straight out of Star Wars; it's a longshot, but I'd love to see what insane modes of transportation companies come up with next at CES 2026.
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](https://www.cnet.com/profiles/agoodwin/)
Antuan started out in the automotive industry the old-fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. He now has nearly 20 years of expertise and experience behind the wheel of hundreds of cars, including electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, and traditional combustion vehicles. For each car he tests, Antuan covers more than 200 miles behind the wheel and evaluates driving dynamics; acceleration and braking performance; range; and efficiency. Antuan's goal is to use his extensive car knowledge to educate CNET readers and help with their next car-related buying decision. Whether you're EV-curious, an EV-enthusiast or a combustion-car loyalist, Antuan will bring you the unbiased advice, reviews, best lists and news you need. You can reach Antuan at antuan.goodwin@cnet.com
