CES Shows How AI, Software Are Redefining Truck Technology
World’s Largest Tech Event Showcases Advances in Software-Defined Vehicles, Autonomous Trucking
Key Takeaways:
- The focus on autonomous vehicles seemed stronger than ever, but there was less emphasis on electrification and ZEVs.
- AI technologies have enabled a leap forward in fully autonomous vehicles, driver assistance systems and more.
- Technologies enhance productivity across industries, including final-mile delivery.
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LAS VEGAS — The commercial vehicle technologies exhibited at CES 2026 pointed to a future where trucks are built with software as much as steel, and self-driving vehicles will begin to play a meaningful role in the movement of freight.
Technology developers, manufacturers and industry suppliers presented their latest products and concepts for the commercial transportation industry at the enormous annual technology show, which runs Jan. 6-9.
Many exhibitors and speakers highlighted the shift toward software-defined vehicles that can be continuously upgraded over time through remote updates without requiring hardware changes.
Over time, this evolution could enable truck manufacturers and their suppliers to deliver new software features and digital services to customers in a faster and more efficient way while shortening software development cycles and potentially reducing recalls.
Coretura CEO Johan Lunden discusses software-defined vehicle development alongside Aurora Sere-Schneider of Aumovio (left) and Maria Anhalt of Elektrobit during a panel discussion at CES 2026. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
A CES panel discussion on the topic made it clear that building the digital architecture for the vehicles of the future is no small task for original equipment manufacturers.
“We’ve been created by two big OEMs that have recognized that this journey is not an easy one,” said Johan Lundén, CEO of Coretura, a joint venture of Daimler Truck and Volvo Group launched in June 2025 to create a software-defined vehicle platform for the commercial vehicle industry.
In the coming years, the business aims to establish common standards for digital truck development, which would enable manufacturers to share a core software platform while developing their own unique digital services.
“I think it will be a world where we can see that investments will be directed to customer value rather than platform,” Lundén said.
Sonatus highlights its AI Technician capabilities alongside a Kenworth T880 model at CES 2026. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
Jeff Chou, CEO and co-founder of vehicle software company Sonatus, said software-defined technologies are transforming the nature of vehicle development for everything from passenger cars to commercial trucks.
“It’s going to be a moving data center on wheels,” he said.
Chou also sees the advance of AI as an integral part of this movement toward software-defined vehicles.
In addition to autonomous driving, AI is unlocking benefits such as vehicle optimization, anomaly detection, personalization and predictive maintenance, he said.
At its booth on the show floor, Sonatus showcased a Kenworth T880 model to highlight its AI Technician, which uses artificial intelligence to help businesses diagnose vehicle issues and simplify maintenance.
Autonomy Grows, Electric Slows
Compared with just a couple of years ago, the show floor at CES featured noticeably less emphasis on electrification and zero-emission vehicle technologies following the recent rollback of emissions regulations and incentives in the United States.
The focus on autonomous vehicles, however, seemed stronger than ever, with exhibits promoting everything from robotaxi services from companies such as Waymo and Zoox to automated industrial and agricultural equipment.
CES 2026 attendees explore a broad range of vehicle technology exhibits on Jan. 6 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
In the nascent field of autonomous trucking, technology developers continue to forge agreements with established industry suppliers to pave the way for mass production and large-scale deployment in the near future.
During CES, self-driving truck developer Kodiak announced a partnership with global automotive supplier Bosch to collaborate on a production-grade version of its autonomous driving system.
The companies highlighted the agreement by exhibiting one of Kodiak’s driverless tractors at Bosch’s booth during the show.
Meanwhile, automotive supplier Aumovio announced it is partnering with cloud computing provider Amazon Web Services to incorporate new generative AI capabilities into its development and validation processes for autonomous vehicles.
Aumovio, which spun off from Continental late last year, will use that AI functionality to more efficiently validate autonomous driving technology, including a fallback system it is producing for Aurora Innovation’s self-driving trucks.
These types of partnerships between technology developers, manufacturers and industry suppliers are enabling autonomy to move beyond the testing and early deployment stage toward wider adoption, said Jeremy McClain, head of the system and software business within Aumovio’s autonomous mobility unit.
“The ecosystem players are all there together to make this a reality,” he said.
Empowering AV Development
More broadly, newer AI technologies, such as vision language models that blend computer vision and natural language processing, have been enabling a leap forward in everything from fully autonomous vehicles to driver assistance systems and software-defined vehicles, McClain said.
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“The advancements in generative AI are what really tips the scale as far as the ability to bring more and more automation to the streets,” he said.
Ozgur Tohumcu, general manager of automotive and manufacturing at Amazon Web Services, also predicted that AI will drive further proliferation of autonomous vehicles in the next couple of years.
“Now companies are really focusing on safety and how they can actually scale faster,” Tohumcu said. “You’re going to see many more players come in, and we’re going to see a lot more deployments on the freight side, particularly. The business case has been there.”
While AI has streamlined the development processes for autonomous vehicles, the need for rigorous safety validation is still growing, said Roger Ordman, vice president of marketing at Foretellix, which provides AV data curation and safety verification services.
“AI is reducing the level of effort that needs to go into development, but is increasing the need for validation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the expanding deployment of robotaxis in a growing number of U.S. cities is beginning to improve the public’s comfort with this technology, Ordman said.
“Waymo has certainly taken away a lot of the fear of autonomy,” he said. “It’s becoming a reality, and whoever uses it kind of likes it after using it once or twice.”
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Elad Hofstetter, chief business officer at lidar supplier Innoviz Technologies, said autonomous vehicle technology also is becoming more reliable in real-world driving conditions.
This includes vision sensors that can still function properly in heavy rain or when splattered with mud.
“The technology is reaching the maturity point where it can meet the safety goals,” he said. “We feel there is a wave coming.”
Last month, Innoviz announced it will supply short-range lidar sensors to Daimler Truck and its ý subsidiary for integration into autonomous Freightliner Cascadia trucks.
During CES, Innoviz also showcased its next-generation sensor, which combines lidar with camera-based color sensing in a single module to reduce complexity for equipment manufacturers.
The Future of Delivery
Vehicle and equipment manufacturer Oshkosh Corp. highlighted its continued investments in autonomy, AI, connectivity and electrification to enhance safety and productivity across various industries, including final-mile delivery.
Oshkosh presents a home delivery concept incorporating sidewalk robots at its CES 2026 booth. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
In a concept video at its booth, the company outlined its vision for the future of home delivery, including delivery trucks outfitted with advanced driver assistance systems and equipped with automated onboard package conveyance and even package-carrying robots for vehicle-to-door deliveries.
“Using advanced robotics, AI and sensors, these innovations transform how vehicles move, perceive and interact, creating a connected ecosystem where autonomy and human performance work seamlessly together,” Jay Iyengar, Oshkosh’s executive vice president and chief technology and strategic sourcing officer, said during a media briefing prior to CES.
Separately, Oshkosh continues to ramp up production of its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, or NGDV, for the U.S. Postal Service. That vehicle is now delivering mail and e-commerce packages in almost every state in the U.S., the manufacturer said.
Jim Halliday, vice chair at fleet management and consulting firm Element, noted that the proliferation of connected vehicle technology has helped paved the way for AI optimization in the transportation industry.
“If you don’t have clean data from the vehicle, if you don’t have a connection to the vehicle, you’re going to struggle mightily to do the things your clients are asking you for and the market is demanding,” he said.
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