Self-driving cars and metaverses. Stars of the Las Vegas Electronics Show

Vehicles and smart devices are expected to receive special attention at the Las Vegas Electronics Show, the preeminent annual gathering for technology lovers, and kicking off Thursday with its usual momentum after two editions marked by restrictions related to the Corona pandemic.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will take place between the fifth and eighth of January 2023, in the event that is expected to witness a strong return of exhibitors and investors.

Avi Greengart, an analyst at Triumphal, said he was delighted with the prospect of "the return of the public, the difficulties in moving around and meeting behind closed doors, which are all components of the career fair."

This year's program includes many vehicles such as self-driving cars, electric boats and planes, agricultural machines connected to the Internet, along with inflatable tools with artificial intelligence, and a focus on a new Internet category called "Web 3", that is, the new generation of the Internet that includes the parallel metaverse.

Kevan Yalovitz, Accenture's chief software officer, predicts that "by 2040, about 40% of vehicles on the road will have computer operating systems that can be updated remotely."

Metaverse. The Powerful Weapon in the Battle for Consumers' Time
Naturally, technological advances will pave the way for developers to "improve the experiences" of drivers and passengers alike, but at the same time it will create a "battle over consumer time," one of the topics to be discussed at the 2023 Las Vegas show.

"We are seeing consumers upset in the face of a glut of services, with one-third of users of major streaming networks canceling at least one subscription in 2022, and this trend will continue," says Yalovits, citing an Accenture study of 10 countries.

Hence the need for various platforms and mobile applications to offer more interesting experiences, especially in the metaverse world that is struggling to convince of its features right now.

Promoted as the future of the internet, the metaverse is based on immersive experiences that can be accessed especially via virtual reality or augmented reality technologies.

The metaverse also took a key spot at last year's Las Vegas show, shortly after Facebook announced its new strategy and changed the parent company's name to Meta.

A year later, the social media giant has invested tens of billions of dollars in headphones and digital helmets, scaring investors who see this path as a field of attrition without a roof.

A difficult situation for companies operating in cryptocurrencies

The "Web 3" category at the Las Vegas show will feature companies specialized in this sector, as well as in the field of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Many engineers hope that one day a decentralized internet will emerge because of these technologies.

But "cryptocurrency companies may be under supply because of what happened with FTX," according to Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies.

The collapse of this cryptocurrency platform that has contributed to the widespread spread of cryptocurrencies, and the arrest of its chairman, Sam Bankman-Fried, ended a dark year for the sector.

Various innovations await visitors to the Las Vegas show.

Avi Greengart recalls that the new products that will be presented at the Las Vegas show were designed during the pandemic, and he expects the event to include many innovations designed to facilitate remote work.

Health innovations will also be in an important position, from accessories connected to the internet around the clock, to the latest innovations in the service of emergency doctors.

Robots will not be absent from the event, as visitors will encounter stuffed animals with big eyes, robots with amazing abilities, and high-performance walks.

Independent analyst Rob Enderle says, "I think we're going to see big advances in personal robotics for homes, as well as other offerings inspired by technologies originally designed for the military. But there will also be a lot of cheap pieces."