Connected cars, robots and smart home appliances to headline CES

Connected cars, robots and smart home appliances are expected to take centre stage at CES, the global consumer electronics show which kicks off in Las Vegas this week.

The latest advancements in automotive technology will be a major theme at the event, with more than 115 automotive tech companies and nine car makers debuting products.

They will showcase the latest motor tech trends from parking assistance, collision-avoidance and emergency braking to the latest in driverless, electric and energy-efficient vehicles.

More than 20 exhibitors will showcase the full range of robotic technologies that are transforming the way consumers learn, do business, monitor their health and maintain their households. Attendees will get a first look at the latest robots entering the market and learn how autonomous machines that are changing the way we live – at work, at school, at the doctor’s office and at home.

“Robots can increasingly move, see, hear, sense and react to the environment,” Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association, which hosts CES, said.

Keynote speakers at the trade show will include Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess, General Motors chief executive Mary Barra, Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich, IBM president Ginni Rometty, Netflix founder Reed Hastings, Samsung president WP Hong and YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl.

The conference will feature more than 3,600 exhibiting companies debuting the latest products and services across the entire consumer tech ecosystem. Event organisers are hoping to cap the number of attendees at 176,000. Last year, a record 176,676 people attended, including 6,952 media.