TECH PULSE #4 JAN 9 2026 CES Final Day and Ford's Eyes Off Driving for 2028

Hey tech fans

CES 2026 wraps up today in Vegas. Here are the final highlights:

1. Ford Announces Level 3 Eyes Off Driving Coming in 2028

What happened: Ford revealed plans for Level 3 "eyes off" driver assistance on a new $30,000 electric vehicle launching in 2028. This lets drivers take their eyes off the road on highways under certain conditions, a step up from current Level 2 systems.

Why it matters: Level 3 autonomy is currently extremely rare and limited to premium vehicles. Ford bringing it to a $30,000 mass market EV is a democratization play. They're evaluating both subscription and one time purchase pricing.

The competition: Most Level 3 offerings cost significantly more. Ford is betting they can make advanced autonomy accessible, not just a luxury feature.

Our take: 2028 is still two years away, plenty of time for things to change. But if Ford delivers, this could be the tipping point for mainstream autonomous driving adoption. The $30,000 price point is the key.

Source: https://techstartups.com/2026/01/08/top-tech-news-today-january-8-2026/

2. HP Debuts EliteBoard Keyboard That Is Actually a Full PC

What happened: HP unveiled the EliteBoard at CES, a keyboard with a built in PC. The entire computer lives inside the keyboard form factor, with AI focused features throughout.

Why it matters: This eliminates the traditional desktop tower entirely. Everything you need is in the keyboard. Just plug in a monitor and you're done. Perfect for minimalist setups or space constrained environments.

Our take: This is either brilliant or solving a problem nobody has. Keyboards break more often than PCs. What happens when your keyboard dies and your entire computer is in there? Still, the form factor is undeniably cool.

Source: https://www.channelnews.com.au/ces-2026-hp-turns-the-keyboard-into-a-pc-with-ai-first-eliteboard-reveal/

3. LG Unveils CLOid Home Robot to Handle Household Chores

What happened: LG announced CLOid, an AI powered home robot designed to fold laundry, make breakfast, and patrol your home for problems. LG claims it will "revolutionize household chores."

Why it matters: Every year someone promises the home robot revolution. This year it's LG's turn. The question is always the same: does it actually work in real homes or just controlled demos?

Our take: We've seen this movie before. Home robots are incredibly hard to make reliable in messy, unpredictable real world environments. Show us six months of real user reviews, then we'll get excited. Until then, skepticism is warranted.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/storyline/ces-2026-follow-live-for-the-first-official-day-with-ring-mobileye-siemens-robots-ai-and-more/

4. TCL Partners with Microsoft to Bring AI to All Smart Devices

What happened: TCL announced partnerships with Microsoft to integrate AI capabilities across their entire product line, including TVs, phones, tablets, home appliances, smart glasses, and robots. Features include speech recognition, real time translation, and content generation.

Why it matters: AI is officially coming to every device whether you want it or not. TCL is betting consumers will pay for AI enhanced everything, from their TV to their toothbrush.

Our take: Not every device needs AI. Some of this will be useful (real time translation on phones, speech recognition on TVs). Some will be pointless feature bloat. Let's see what actually sticks.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/01/09/ai-driven-future-innovation-experience-tcl-showcases-microsoft-ai-powered-smart-terminals-at-ces-2026/

5. Honda Unveils New Sport Line and Trail Line Vehicle Concepts

What happened: At Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda introduced two new product lines, Sport Line for on road models and Trail Line for off road models. Civic e:HEV RS prototype shown, production model launching before end of 2026 in Japan.

Why it matters: Honda is doubling down on driving enthusiast vehicles even as the industry pushes toward autonomy and electrification. Manual transmissions, sporty handling, and driver engagement are getting dedicated product lines.

Our take: There's still a market for people who actually want to drive. Honda is smart to serve this niche while others abandon it entirely. These won't be volume sellers, but they'll build brand loyalty.

Source: https://global.honda/en/newsroom/news/2026/c260109aeng.html

QUICK STATS

$30,000 price point for Ford's 2028 Level 3 autonomous EV

2028 launch year for Ford's eyes off driving capability

13 venues CES 2026 spanned across Las Vegas

$600M cost of Las Vegas Convention Center renovation completed for CES 2026

CES 2026 FINAL VERDICT

Best innovation: Practical autonomy at accessible prices (Ford)

Most overhyped: Home robots that will definitely not work as advertised

Biggest trend: AI absolutely everywhere whether useful or not

Reality check: About 30 percent of what was shown will actually ship this year

What was your favorite CES announcement this year?