Where are all the new cars?

Al-Waziri adds that Chinese OEMs, which he believes have a software advantage over Western manufacturers when it comes to self-driving technology, were not on offer because they cannot currently launch any vehicles in the United States. So CES is no longer simply “the place for them to stage.”

Andy Palmer, former chief operating officer of Nissan and former CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda, goes further. “The Consumer Electronics Show used to be of interest to automakers because the industry was borrowing technological credibility from Silicon Valley,” he says. “Today, that relationship has reversed. Automotive technology is no longer an exciting novelty, but rather expected.” “Electricity, software and advanced driver assistance devices are now industrial technologies. They are no longer theatrics that need a stage in Las Vegas.”

More importantly, Palmer, Nothard, and Zieretti all note that the center of gravity of the automotive world has shifted—both technologically and geographically—to China, of course. That leaves China’s main auto show, which alternates every year between Shanghai and Beijing, up and running the The location where automakers must park and clean.

In fact, as Wyrd pointed out In May last year, Shanghai 2025 was not just a car show, but a warning to the West. After poaching some of the best Western automotive talent, the Chinese auto industry is beginning to show how it will dominate globally in charging rates, ranges, design, technology and sheer volumes. Detroit and Munich were alerted. It was quite clear to everyone in the industry where the new power lay.

“Shanghai has become more strategically important than CES for many manufacturers, because that is where the fastest innovation cycles, supply chains and consumer demand are now located,” Palmer says. “If you want to point to the future of cars, this is increasingly where you do it.”

However, Chinese automakers are not just showing off at home. So, since CES was out of the question, they were looking for an alternative. Step forward to the IAA Mobility conference in Munich, which is now the largest automotive conference in Europe yet The death of the Geneva Motor Show. “The Chinese are looking for a platform to showcase their products outside China,” says Waziri. “When you’re Mercedes or BMW, and you see China investing in the IAA, you have to be there. So they’re making huge investments. This year, at the IAA, it was the most beautiful Mercedes stand I’ve seen in 10 years walking around car shows.”

For CES, and perhaps American auto brands as well, to return to a position of dominance in the global auto trade, another truly seismic change in the evolution of vehicles must occur. Moreover, at the rate things are going, an annual event like the auto show will soon be too late to keep up with progress in China.

“Look at the time it takes Chinese manufacturers: from R&D to delivery in two years on average,” says Nothard. “They bring cars to market very quickly. The average for a traditional manufacturer is seven years. So, now you cannot get enough offers to introduce your new product. BYD, they have a full range of products on the horizon. Significant quantities of new BYD products will be on the market before the next offerings begin to be built.

“CES was at its peak when software, interface and software-defined vehicles became the pinnacle of everything that was happening in the automotive sector, along with electric vehicle technology,” Nothard says. “We’re past that now.” “It will take another major shift in vehicle evolution for CES to be put on the radar again.”