Every year, throngs of industry insiders swarm Las Vegas to explore the future of consumer electronics at the annual CES show. After almost a decade of attending the largest electronics trade show, I've developed a pretty good track record of being able to tell the hype from the real growing buzz. So this year, there's real change on the horizon -- a change that's bound to find its way into your living room, driveway and even pocket in the year ahead. Automotive: CES is now so auto-centric that insiders now call it the "Car Electronics Show." And one thing is certain: in 2017 Self-driving cars will be everywhere. With news from players including BMW, Ford, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, Nissan and Hyundai, there will be a flood of new driverless information coming out of CES. Uber has self-driving cars already on the road, and Apple and Google are in the race as well. As more vehicles have cellular data connections, expect to see more gadgets and software tied to the connected car. Drones: Chinese drone-maker DJI is zooming ahead of the pack right now, but the drone space is expanding, and the uses of drones is growing as well. From criminal observation to high-speed racing, to drone package delivery, to drones for industrial and farming use -- drones of all shapes and sizes will be on display. At last year's CES keynote, Intel demoed its new Aero line of drones. Today, those Aero drones are being used at Disney World to light the night sky. Expect drone's growth in entertainment and cinematography to be very much on display. Virtual And Augmented Reality: In 2016, I thought the cool stuff on the show floor would be front and center at the Christmas selling season. Turns out: not so much. Yes, Samsung sold a bunch of its $99 low-end goggles, but the high-end devices didn't quite catch fire. So this year, the hype may be down a bit. Oculus isn't going to be on the show floor. HTC is going to be there, but it's unclear when the Vive headset will be updated or if there will be new product announcements at CES. Augmented reality could jump ahead this year, with Microsoft HoloLens and Meta's augmented reality lenses making noise, though Magic Leap remains elusive.
