The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Most major U.S. automakers were missing from CES 2025’s public booth-and-announcement lineup—but they had not vanished altogether. Ford sent staff to scout technology, General Motors had a limited presence through partners, and U.S.-based Scout Motors exhibited. Meanwhile, international automakers, suppliers and automated-driving companies kept mobility prominent on the show floor.
What “gone” means at CES 2025
CES 2025 took place in Las Vegas from Jan. 7–10. In a Jan. 9 account, TechCrunch reported that no American automaker had a public display or news-announcement activation. That is a statement about visible activations, not a claim that no U.S. automaker personnel or related activity were present.
- Ford: No public activation, but engineering, design, supply-chain and product-planning staff attended to scout consumer-electronics technology and trends.
- General Motors: No booth or speaking engagement, according to the company, though it had a small presence through partners.
- Scout Motors: The U.S.-based Volkswagen Group spinoff exhibited, complicating any simple definition of an “American automaker.”
Mercedes-Benz, a German automaker, said it chose to skip CES after evaluating its strategic direction, while maintaining a presence at partner Xperi’s booth. These examples show why “at CES” can mean different things: exhibiting, making an announcement, sending staff, or appearing through a partner.
Which automakers and mobility companies were there?
The U.S. legacy brands’ reduced public visibility did not mean CES lacked automotive content. The official CES recap listed mobility exhibitors including Honda, BMW, Scout Motors, Suzuki, Zeekr, Waymo, Bosch, Aptera Motors and John Deere. TechCrunch also noted exhibits from Zoox, Wey and Xpeng, while Toyota held a conference appearance. Suppliers and software companies such as Aeva, Applied Intuition and Sonatus were also present.
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The Consumer Technology Association reported more than 4,500 exhibitors, including 1,400 startups; more than 141,000 attendees, 40% of them international and representing over 150 countries, regions and territories; and more than 6,000 global media members, content creators and industry analysts. CTA labeled those figures pre-audit. They indicate the scale of the event, not the number or share of U.S. automakers that stayed away.
Why did Ford, GM and others scale back public appearances?
There is no established single explanation for every company’s choice. The comments reported at the time point to different considerations, and should not be treated as proof of a common industry strategy.
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Kelley Blue Book senior editor Brian Moody suggested that CES appearances can ebb and flow with automakers’ product schedules. “Automaker product cycles are much longer than consumer product cycles. Building a car in the real world takes longer,” he told TechCrunch. A company may have less reason to stage a major reveal in a year when a suitable vehicle or technology milestone is not ready.
Companies weigh the value of a trade-show activation
Moody also questioned whether the cost of a broad consumer-facing show makes sense as media attention becomes more fragmented. Ford’s explanation was narrower: spokesperson Alan Hall said CES remained useful for technology scouting, which is why staff attended even without a public activation. GM said it evaluates trade shows annually in light of business factors and priorities. Mercedes-Benz cited its strategic direction when explaining its decision to skip. Those remarks describe individual company choices; they do not establish a universal reason for the thinner U.S. lineup.
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What automotive technology took the spotlight?
CES 2025’s automotive story extended beyond finished vehicles. Software, cabin interfaces, sensors and automated driving drew attention, with automakers and technology suppliers sharing the stage.
Honda’s prototypes and software
Honda presented two 0 Series vehicle prototypes and its ASIMO operating system. The official CES program also listed a Sony Honda Mobility press conference. A prototype reveal signals a development direction, not necessarily a production-ready vehicle available to buy.
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BMW’s in-car interface
BMW revealed more about its new interface direction, including the panoramic iDrive display. The Associated Press reported that CES demonstrations also included voice-assistant and entertainment concepts. Their presence at a show does not by itself establish when, or whether, a feature will reach a production vehicle.
Displays and the question of driver attention
Hyundai Mobis demonstrated a holographic display spanning the windshield. AP reported that the technology was not expected to reach the market for several years. The demonstration also raised a practical safety question: IIHS senior research scientist Ian Reagan warned that “Driver distraction is a big concern with visual displays in vehicles.” A more elaborate display is not automatically a better interface; drivers still need information presented without unnecessary visual demands.
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Automated driving and adjacent technology
Waymo and Zoox exhibited, and Zoox offered robotaxi rides to media, according to TechCrunch. Companies working on automated driving, sensors and supporting software occupied much of the mobility conversation. Toyota’s conference appearance covered the first phase of Woven City as well as orbital-rocket exploration, illustrating how CES automotive coverage can overlap with broader technology and mobility ambitions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the absence stood out
CES had long been a high-profile platform for U.S. automakers. TechCrunch recalled GM CEO Mary Barra’s 2016 Chevrolet Bolt reveal and her 2022 comments about personal autonomous vehicles, as well as Ford’s history of CES technology announcements. In 2023, Stellantis brands showed the Ram 1500 BEV concept. Against that history, the 2025 lack of public activations from major U.S. legacy automakers was conspicuous, even as other companies continued to use the show for vehicles, prototypes and technology demonstrations.
CES’s own Booth Media Briefings page provides event programming context, while the official recap documents exhibitors and show scale. Neither source supplies a count of U.S. automakers that skipped CES, and the available reporting does not establish a year-over-year participation trend or predict what companies will do at later shows.
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