Car Tech at the Detroit Auto Show

January has a lot of people talking about the future of the car. That’s partly because we’ve already seen exciting developments at two of the most important auto shows of the year: the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), often called the Detroit Auto Show. The former gave people a peek at what driving will be like in the next decade, while the latter showed off the cool new car tech that you’ll see on the roads next year.

For those who don’t obsessively follow every trade show, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is held every year in Las Vegas and normally showcases the latest televisions, tech gadgets and household appliances. This year, cars stole the spotlight and almost every manufacturer trotted out their plan for the tech-heavy car of the future.

Highlights at CES included Volvo’s imaginative plans for entertainment systems designed for autonomous cars, Chevrolet’s 2017 Bolt, Kia’s DriveWise autonomous brand and upstart electric vehicle manufacturer Faraday Future’s flashy Batmobile concept FFZero1.

By comparison, this week’s NAIAS, the long-running Detroit auto show, has been comparatively lacking in sci-fi visions of the future. But that makes sense: it’s meant to show off the hottest cars that are coming to market in the next year or two, not two decades from now.

But that doesn’t mean that the showcases in Detroit are lacking in innovation, they’re just more subtle. If you look closely, there are some real surprises under the hood. Here are some of our favorites:

The Semi Autonomous 2017 E-Series

Mercedes has been working on semi-autonomous features, like adaptive cruise control, for their high end sedans for years, and next year’s rehauled E-class puts these pieces together in a package similar to Tesla’s autopilot system.

This high tech Benz will be able to cruise on the highway, change lanes, brake to avoid an accident and park with minimal input from the driver. Also, multiple Mercedes will be able to communicate with one another, warning about crashes, traffic or slow downs up the road.

This Mercedes represents the pinnacle (so far) of the piece-by-piece approach to autonomous driving that many auto manufacturers are taking. It also looks damn good.

Chrysler Minivan Plug-In Hybrid

The minivan has benefited from fewer updates in the last decade than the fax machine, and Chrysler is trying to haul this once-popular family of cars into the 21st century with the Chrysler Pacifica.

The most important innovation is the engine. This is the first ever hybrid minivan. It uses a plug-in hybrid system to achieve mileage numbers as high as 80mpg. It will be able to drive 30 miles on 100% electric power, plenty for taking the kids to school and back.

Other than the engine, the Pacifica is a pretty traditional high-end minivan, but because hauling capacity (for people and cargo) has been a shortcoming for many hybrid and electric systems so far, this may be the package that finally pushes many families to consider electric.

The Ford GT’s Super Windshield

The 2017 Ford GT is impressive for many reasons: it’s fast, it’s stylish, it’s powerful. But one of the most exciting things about it is the use of a Gorilla Glass windshield.

In a first for an automobile, Ford will be using the same specialized layered glass that’s used for most cell phone screens. The result is a windshield that’s far more resistant to scratches and damage and is also more aerodynamic. Just check out this demonstration.

Not every innovation needs to shake the concept of a car to its core. Sometimes, all it takes is a windshield.

The Tiguan GTE is the Offroad Hybrid

Volkswagen also unveiled a car that would peak the interest of many who hadn’t considered hybrids before. Although it’s just a concept for now, the Tiguan GTE Active displays VWs vision for a hybrid that appeals to lovers of SUVs and the outdoors.

The main point of the GTE Active is to show that a hybrid can be a rugged adventuremobile. It comes with 4WD, 9 inches of ground clearance, and a rough-and-tumble styling that screams, “I love to play in the mud.”

But that’s not all, it also features an impressive hybrid engine under the hood. The Tiguan GTE is powered by 222 horsepower 1.4L engine married to two electric motors. As a result, it can drive up to 20 miles on electric power only, and has an impressive total range of 580 miles.

Tech of Today

Much like last year, technological improvements lay at the heart of many of the showcases in Detroit. Many of them are less flashy, but they’re also tied in reality in a way that high concept companies like Faraday Future don’t need to be. One thing’s for sure, we’re barely halfway through January, and the signs are strong that we’re in for an exciting ride in 2016.

Originally published at www.beepi.com