Edmunds Highlights Top Car-Tech Trends from CES 2025
By KARL BRAUER
CES, the Consumer Electronics Show held annually in Las Vegas, continues to offer a glimpse into the future of technology. This year’s show offered significant insights into advancements in automotive technology, as the industry strives for reduced pollution, increased occupant safety, and improved convenience for drivers.
Here are some of the most impressive innovations revealed at this year’s event:
Dash-spanning Displays from BMW
BMW is previewing its all-new in-cabin digital interface, called Panoramic iDrive. This system offers a glimpse into the future of vehicle technology.
Panoramic iDrive features a digital display that spans the entire dashboard. This “Panoramic Vision” display projects essential information like speed, EV range, and navigation, alongside climate and audio controls. It is designed to work in conjunction with a central touchscreen and an advanced head-up display that projects 3D-like information onto the windshield. BMW also showcased a new steering wheel design with illuminated buttons, claiming improved usability.
Panoramic iDrive is expected to debut in BMW vehicles in late 2025.
New EVs and Easier Public Charging from Honda
Honda made a bold move into the electric vehicle market at CES 2025 with the unveiling of two all-new, all-electric models: the Honda 0 SUV and 0 Saloon. These production-ready vehicles retain the aggressive styling of the concept cars shown at the previous year’s CES and are scheduled to arrive in 2026.
Both vehicles will be manufactured in Ohio and will include Level 3 automated driving features, enabling drivers to go hands-free and take their eyes off the road under specific conditions. Honda says they will also incorporate a new technology interface, called Asimo, for a more personalized driving experience.
The launch of the Honda 0 SUV and 0 Saloon will coincide with Honda’s efforts to improve charging access for drivers. They are partnering with seven other automakers to build 30,000 high-speed charging stations across North America by 2030. These stations will use the Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS), which is being adopted by many automakers.
Better Internet Connectivity While on the Move
Even in 2025, getting reliable internet connectivity can be tricky. While Wi-Fi, cellular service, and satellite signals are available, none are 100% foolproof.
Stellar, a new company from France, is developing a solution that aggregates satellite, cellular, and Wi-Fi networks into a single, optimized internet service stream. This system utilizes existing vehicle hardware to analyze and optimize the data stream as the vehicle moves between different signal sources. The aim is to ensure more consistent high-speed internet access, whether traveling through city tunnels or across open landscapes.
Toyota Weaves the City of the Future
Toyota’s vision for the future goes beyond just electric vehicles and self-driving cars. They’re building an entire city in Japan designed for maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact.
Called Woven City, the site in Susono, Japan, will serve as a testbed for automated technology, encompassing various aspects of life, including transportation, construction, food supply, and education. It will initially cover 50,000 square miles and is planned to expand to 700,000 square miles. By fall 2025, it will house approximately 360 Toyota staff and their families, and will eventually be home to more than 2,000 residents, including partners in construction, food and drink, education, and even rocket production.
While the specific technologies developed in Toyota’s Woven City are still evolving, the project offers the company a head start in understanding how to leverage new technologies.
Full self-driving cars are still under development, but automakers are making significant progress in user interfaces, EV design, and smart city planning. These advancements suggest that multiple breakthroughs are imminent in the automotive space.
