[CES2022] Destruction, Ultra-Cooperation, Virtual Realization... The 'Post-Corona' Answer Emerges

The World's Largest Electronics and IT Show Held Offline After 2 Years Closes
Amid Global Companies' Absence, Korean Companies Stand Out with Future Technologies

At the Samsung Electronics booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2022' is being held, the 'Samsung Bot Eye' is being unveiled. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Las Vegas (USA) = Asia Economy reporters Kim Heung-soon and Lee Ki-min] CES 2022, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, which opened on the 5th (local time) in Las Vegas, USA, concluded on the 7th after a three-day schedule. This event, held offline for the first time in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was a stage to preview future technologies that will lead the post-COVID era, such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and the metaverse (extended virtual world). In particular, new attempts by global companies breaking away from traditional fields, strengthened cooperation between companies focusing on their core businesses, and technologies that realized virtual experiences in reality attracted attention.

Hyundai Motor with Robots Instead of Cars, Sony Declares Entry into Electric Vehicles
Companies Noted for 'Domain Disruption'

At CES 2022, Hyundai Motor broke the mold of a traditional automobile company and showcased new mobility in a new domain through robotics. This contrasted with competitors like Stellantis, who recycled existing trends such as electrification and autonomous driving. At Hyundai's booth this year, visitors could see the quadruped robot dog 'Spot,' the small mobility device 'MobED' that moves freely even in obstacle-filled environments like a robot, and personal mobility equipped with PnD and DnL modules. This performance drew attention, attracting an average of over 15,000 visitors per day since the opening.

Consumer electronics company Sony removed displays like TVs and focused on electric vehicles as their main attraction. Alongside the sedan-type first electric vehicle concept car 'Vision-S-01' introduced two years ago, the SUV-type concept car 'Vision-S-02' was displayed side by side, drawing attention. Sony Chairman Kenichiro Yoshida declared, "We will establish Sony Mobility this spring and enter the electric vehicle market."

Like Sony's declaration to enter the electric vehicle market, the shipbuilding industry also introduced world-class autonomous navigation technology. Hyundai Heavy Industries, participating in CES for the first time this year, expressed its intention to transform from the world's number one shipbuilding company into a 'Future Builder' and announced plans to change the global shipbuilding market landscape with autonomous navigation software technology. Chung Ki-sun, CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings, said, "We have identified autonomous navigation as a new growth business and have met promising companies worldwide through venture capital to secure related technologies," adding, "The conclusion we reached is that our technology is world-class." Hyundai Heavy Industries also revealed ambitions at CES to complete ocean navigation with the world's first autonomous large vessel by the first quarter of this year.

At the Samsung Electronics booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2022' was held, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and Head of DX Division Han Jong-hee are listening to an explanation about augmented reality (AR)-based future driving technology.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Samsung Electronics Announces Large-Scale M&A
'Super Cooperation' Beyond Competition, Not Optional but Essential

Samsung Electronics, which set up the largest booth among this year's participants with an area of 3,596㎡ (approximately 1,088 pyeong), showcased changes in our future daily lives through AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and augmented reality (AR) technologies. They introduced how the future home environment centered on users would change with their independently developed AI avatars and robots, and presented AR-based future driving information technology with autonomous driving in mind. Especially, as a company with diverse business sectors including semiconductors, home appliances, mobile, and ICT, Samsung attracted attention by hinting at potential collaborations with global companies.

Han Jong-hee, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics (Head of DX Division), said at a domestic press briefing, "We are currently reviewing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in several business areas. We don't know which will succeed first, but we are moving much faster than you think," adding, "Good news will come soon." Accordingly, there is speculation that Samsung Electronics will complete a major M&A deal for the first time in six years since acquiring Harman in 2016.

Notably, a large-scale M&A possibility in the automotive electronics sector is being discussed. After visiting Sony's booth, Vice Chairman Han emphasized, "Cars are now electronics," and said, "The old concept of cars alone is meaningless; it is a combination of AI, IoT, and more, so what functions are included inside the car to satisfy consumers is important." Samsung Electronics has ruled out plans to enter the finished car industry but is likely to partner with competitive companies to build vehicle infotainment systems. In fact, at this CES, Samsung introduced an AR-based future driving information system by combining Samsung's IT technology with Harman's automotive electronics technology.

There is also interest in whether Samsung Electronics will supply next-generation automotive semiconductors developed with the electric and autonomous driving era in mind to Hyundai Motor. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun visited Samsung's booth during this event and discussed technological cooperation with Vice Chairman Han. Additionally, SK Telecom CEO Yoo Young-sang visited Samsung's booth to discuss cooperation in ICT fields such as 5G, AI, and the metaverse with Samsung MX Division President Roh Tae-moon. In the home appliance sector, attention is focused on whether Samsung Electronics and LG Display will form an alliance to purchase OLED panels for TVs. Vice Chairman Han showed a flexible stance, saying, "We are reviewing various possibilities."

Moreover, SK Square and SK Hynix Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho met with Qualcomm representatives during CES to explore cooperation in semiconductors, the metaverse, and other ICT fields, actively building corporate cooperation systems. Vice Chairman Park emphasized, "In the increasingly fierce ICT competitive environment, global collaboration is not a choice but a necessity," adding, "The SK ICT family will lead innovation through barrier-free super cooperation with global companies across all ICT sectors."

At the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2022' was held, visitors to the Lotte Data Communication Metaverse booth are experiencing a 'virtual concert.'
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Virtual Experience Becomes Reality
Beyond VR and AR, the Metaverse Era Blossoms

Major domestic companies confirmed the potential for expanding virtual experiences into reality targeting the post-COVID era. Samsung Electronics' AI avatar proved it can perform the role of a 'butler,' managing users' schedules and engaging in conversations beyond voice recognition technology. Additionally, the interactive robot 'Samsung Bot i' and household assistant robot 'Samsung Bot Handy' sufficiently performed secretarial roles in home management and work.

Hyundai Motor announced plans to replicate the smart factory 'HMGICS,' currently under construction in Singapore and scheduled for completion by the end of this year, identically in the metaverse space to innovate manufacturing and production. Doosan, which attracted attention at previous CES events with eco-friendly hydrogen drones, showcased the latest version of Doosan Bobcat's construction equipment operation system MaxControl. This technology evolved from controlling equipment via mobile phones to allowing operators to sit on construction machinery and operate distant equipment using a joystick while viewing its movements on a screen. In the future, metaverse technology will enable operating construction machinery in virtual worlds as well. Additionally, Lotte Data Communication placed multiple virtual reality (VR) devices at their booth, providing visitors with an immersive metaverse experience as if attending a real girl group concert, drawing attention.

Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Seung-rae evaluated, "Three years ago at CES, VR-related technologies dominated, but this time, technologies integrating AI into various content and services stood out, and it was palpable that robots have become a reality." He added, "It is as important to apply general-purpose technologies like AI to reality as it is to develop fundamental technologies," and said, "We plan to soon propose related legislation to systematically manage and nurture the ten national essential strategic technologies recently designated by the government, including AI and robotics."

Meanwhile, this year's CES was shortened from four days to three due to the spread of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, and the number of participating companies dropped to about 2,300, roughly half of previous years. Instead, Korea stood out with a record participation of about 500 companies both online and offline, ranking second after the United States, which had about 1,300 companies. The organizers announced that next year's CES is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8.