Hopefully Audi’s Chairman Rupert Stadler is good at sharing. He’s not the only auto maker bigwig headlining CES 2011 anymore. Nope, Ford’s chief, Alan Mulally, is returning to the Consumer Electronic Show for the third time in as many years. He’s taking the podium on Friday, January 7th at 11 am and will no doubt talk up Ford’s impressive list of in-vehicle advancements.
He has quite a few talking points, too. There’s the Ford Sync system that among other things, now supports smartphone apps. Then there’s the forward-thinking MyFord Touch system that debuted at last year’s show but is now making its way into production vehicles.
There should be no doubt in your mind that the auto industry is has shifted gears. No longer are vehicles just a series of mechanical workings. No, the electronic creature comforts are now just as important as the powertrain. Cars these days don’t sell unless they have a whole array of gadgets. Expect more vehicle demos than ever at CES 2011 as the auto makers showcase their latest advancements.