Ep. 234: CES 2026 Hot Takes -> Robots, Robotaxis and Nvidia Steal the Show

Here's the CES 2026 recap you didn't ask for but definitely need, straight from the neon-soaked chaos of Las Vegas! Edward Wilford, Senior Research Director at Omdia Automotive, joins the show today to spill the latest insights from his week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). We kick off with Nvidia doubling down on automotive as the crown jewel of its "physical AI" empire, dishing out a full-stack, ultra-secure platform that seamlessly connects cars, robotics, and industry into one massive, interconnected powerhouse. Then comes the polite shade: Nvidia's sensor-packed ecosystem goes head-to-head with Tesla's cameras-only FSD bet, as Edward insists true Level 5 autonomy needs to outdrive even the flawless human, not just the distracted TikTok scroller. Edward also dropped a pro tip for the industry: Stop trying to turn every car into a rolling data center overnight, decouple SDVs from EVs, and instead drop “bite-sized” software upgrades. We also talked about Chinese powerhouse Geely teasing its big U.S. EV market splash (think Zeekr and Lynk & Co) in the next 2-3 years (?), unpack the key differences between rigid robots and friendly cobots teaming up with humans, and Zoox's awkward robotaxi stall-out moment right on the bustling Vegas Strip. Buckle up for this high-speed tour of CES's buzziest auto highlights!______________________________Connect with Edward on LinkedIn_______________________________Connect with Elena:https://evs4everyone.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/Let's talk on X:https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryoneAre you connected with the show on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/________________________