In the past several years, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas has become a hot ticket to see futuristic cars and automotive technology. This year is no exception, where the automotive industry claimed nearly half of the space at the show. A few highlights from this year’s portal into the future below:

Flying Cars: Okay, not yet. But maybe in 2023, as Uber and Hyundai showcased a conceptual helicopter/drone crossover, and talked of a future partnership launching test runs in 2020, and commercial service in 2023.

Sony makes cars? Not exactly. Sony revealed a concept car, the Vision-S, which showcased Sony automotive technology. There is no production date in sight, but it is stocked with advanced technology, including sensors that Sony refers to as the “Safety Cocoon” and an advanced infotainment system.

Alexa, Warm up my Seat. Lamborghini announced its new Huracan Evo (complete with a V-10) integrates with Amazon Alexa for a variety of features. Amazon unveiled new features for auto tech this year, including a feature to pay for gas at various gas stations. Maybe someday we will be able to tell Alexa to drive our car.

Toyota’s Woven City. Toyota announced plans for a sustainable city powered by fuel cells that it expects to start building next year. The “Woven City” will serve as home to thousands of people and test out new technology such as self-driving cars

Avatar-Inspired Mercedes. Mercedes revealed a concept car inspired by the movie Avatar recognizing its driver through biometrics and is controlled by a pad on which the driver places her hand. Beyond the futuristic design, the battery made a splash using organic cell battery, rather than rare metals, making the battery compostable.

These CES automotive reveals show why CES has become a highlight, if an unofficial part, of the auto show circuit.

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