AI Sun Visors? New EVs and All the Exciting, Cutting-Edge Electronic Automotive Tech from CES 2020

January 8, 2020
Story By
Andrew Modena

Say good bye to sun visors and side view mirrors. Check out this new tech and cars, making their way on to the roads soon.

Bosch Virtual Visor

Often a second thought, but something that’s always right in front of your face is the sun visor. Typically sun visors either work or they don’t.

They tend to block the sun, block your view of the road or block nothing at all. Bosch has created a solution to that with the Dynamic Sun Visor. Using cameras, AI and an LCD display, pixels on the display will black out the sun as needed.

Per Bosch’s press release: “Virtual Visor links an LCD panel with a driver or occupant-monitoring camera to track the sun’s casted shadow on the driver’s face. The system uses artificial intelligence to locate the driver within the image from the driver-facing camera. It also utilizes AI to determine the landmarks on the face—including where the eyes, nose and mouth are located so that it can identify shadows on the face. The algorithm analyzes the driver’s view, darkening only the section of the display through which light hits the driver’s eyes. The rest of the display remains transparent, no longer obscuring a large section of the driver’s field of vision.”

Gentex Full Display Mirror

It's time to put side view mirrors behind us.

Automotive supplier Gentex showed off their Full Display Mirror at CES. The mirror shows the rear view and side view mirror displays all in the rear view mirror screen.

In this application, cameras are placed inside the side view mirrors and the side view camera image is displayed in the central rear view mirror.

In another version, the exterior mirror is replaced with a camera blade and what is seen by the camera is shown on a display mounted on the interior door panel.

Aftermarket Car Audio Isn't Dead

Pioneer

Pioneer continues to make head units that add modern features such as wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.

Some of their latest models can add big screens in older cars that only have single DIN dashboard slots.

Big Screens for Old Cars

Phoenix Automotive showed off more of their Tesla like displays for older vehicles. Running off Android, these displays add web browsing, audio controls, car information displays and HVAC controls all on one screen.

With screen sizes ranging from 10.4 to 13 inches Phoenix Automotive upgrades are available for cars such as the Ram 1500, F-150, S550 Mustang and others. They even have a universal kit that gives almost any car a Tesla like interior.

New Tesla Competitors?

Byton M-Byte

Last year, electric car company Byton, came to CES with their M-Byte electric SUV concept.

This year they showed a near production version of the M-Byte.

The production M-Byte is said to have a 250-300 mile range, steering wheel screen and full dashboard width screen with pricing that starts at $45,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in 2021. You can reserve one now at their website.

Fisker Ocean

Fisker has been in the EV game for a while but they debuted their first SUV, that they call the "Ocean."

The Ocean aims to be “The World’s Most Sustainable Vehicle” with features like a vegan interior and solar roof. Fisker aims to give it a 300 mile range when it goes on sale in 2021.