At CES, electric vehicles take a backseat to robotaxis and artificial intelligence

It says a lot about the current moment when one of the world’s largest electric vehicle vendors shows up at the world’s largest electronics show to announce a new, affordable model or cool futuristic concept car. But a humanoid robot. And one We’ve already seen it.

Hyundai’s decision to use its CES keynote to promote Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot sends a very clear message about how the auto industry will digest bad news about electric vehicles in the U.S. in 2025, and where it thinks things are headed in the new year. Electric vehicles are out, artificial intelligence and robotics are in.

Meanwhile, the AI ​​continues to suck all the air out of the room. Car companies seem to believe that to be taken seriously by eager investors on Wall Street, they need an AI strategy, a chatbot, or even a human-like bot. It’s not enough to sell cars anymore.

Maybe one day CES will reemerge as a car show. Perhaps when the auto industry feels less worried about global trade and rising manufacturing costs, it will be ready to give us a glimpse of the future again.