Las Vegas is neon bright, but the real light show at CES 2026 isn’t on the Strip—it’s inside the cars. This year, the automotive world has moved past “bigger screens” to something far more radical: no screens at all.
At AutoCritic, we have been tracking the shift towards invisible tech, and two major trends have just defined the show: Holographic Windshields and the rise of “Agentic AI”. Here is everything you need to know about the tech that will be in your driveway by 2027.
Hyundai Mobis x ZEISS: The Invisible Cockpit
The dashboard as we know it is dying. Hyundai Mobis, in collaboration with optical giant ZEISS, has unveiled the star of CES 2026: the Transparent Windshield Display.
Unlike the Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) of the past which floated a tiny speedometer in your vision, this technology turns the entire windshield into a transparent 4K screen.
- How it works: A microscopic holographic film (thinner than a human hair) is embedded in the glass.
- The Experience: During the demo in a modified Kia EV9, we saw navigation arrows painted directly onto the road lanes, while the passenger watched a movie on their side of the glass—completely invisible to the driver to prevent distraction.
- Why it matters: It removes the “black mirror” effect. There are no massive tablets blocking your view. Just open road and data where you need it.
The Buzzword of 2026: “Agentic AI”
If 2024 was the year of Generative AI (Chatbots), 2026 is the year of Agentic AI. But what does that mean for your car?
Old AI reacted (e.g., “Hey car, turn on the AC”). Agentic AI acts. It observes your behavior and makes decisions without being asked.
- Example: If your calendar says you have a flight at 6 PM and traffic is building up, the car will automatically re-route you and pre-condition the battery for a faster charge stop—without you saying a word.
- Sony Honda Mobility showcased this perfectly in the production-ready Afeela, which finally has a confirmed delivery date for California: October 2026.
AutoCritic Verdict
We often dismiss CES tech as “vaporware,” but the Hyundai-Zeiss partnership is different. They have confirmed mass production capability for late 2027. The days of comparing screen sizes are over; the future is transparent.
