Auto Shows Are Turning into Tech Expos on Wheels
Walk into a major auto show today and the loudest buzz is no longer around exhaust notes or 0–100 km/h times. Instead, crowds gather around giant touchscreens, immersive dashboards and fast-charging demos. Carmakers increasingly treat vehicles as rolling devices, where software, connectivity and charging speed define desirability as much as traditional performance. Demonstrations of 5G connected cars, app stores, over‑the‑air (OTA) feature upgrades and seamless phone integration now sit at the centre of many stands. For electric vehicles, brands showcase charging animations, live data on energy use and cutaway views of high‑voltage components. This shift reflects how customers actually use cars: streaming, navigating, working and charging, often all at once. For markets like Malaysia, where EV adoption and 5G coverage are still ramping up, auto shows have become the place to see what’s coming next in connectivity and fast charging – long before these features become mainstream on local roads.
Automotive Infotainment Data: The Next 5G Bandwidth Hog
Behind the glossy dashboards is a stark reality: automotive infotainment data is set to dominate cellular IoT traffic. Research from Omdia forecasts that cellular IoT connections will generate 218.6 exabytes of data by 2035, with automotive – especially infotainment streaming and firmware over‑the‑air updates – accounting for most of those bytes. Between 2025 and 2035, automotive traffic alone is expected to soar from 30.7 to 135.4 exabytes. This shift means a single connected car, streaming video and downloading updates, can consume more data than thousands of simple sensors combined. For 5G connected cars, that has big implications: operators must reinforce coverage along highways, in dense city corridors and around popular charging hubs, where drivers are likely to stream content while they top up. It also pushes networks toward more edge computing so that navigation, media and safety‑critical services stay responsive, even as data volumes balloon.
Why 5G, Edge Computing and Highways Now Go Hand in Hand
As cars turn into high‑bandwidth endpoints, they force a rethink of how networks are built. Omdia’s analysis shows that a small number of data‑hungry uses – automotive infotainment and OTA updates – will overshadow traditional low‑bandwidth IoT. That pushes operators to design 5G coverage around where vehicles move and charge, not just where people make phone calls. Highways, logistics corridors and city centres in Asia & Oceania, expected to account for more than half of global cellular IoT traffic early on, become strategic zones for dense 5G and edge nodes. For drivers, this should translate into smoother in‑car streaming, more reliable cloud‑based navigation and quicker software downloads. For carmakers, it enables software‑defined vehicles that can be updated and monetised throughout their lifecycles. The result is an ecosystem where automotive infotainment data doesn’t just ride on the network – it actively shapes 5G rollout and edge computing investments.
Inside the 900V EV Platform: onsemi and NIO’s Fast-Charging Play
On the EV side, high‑voltage architectures now headline auto show presentations. A clear example is the NIO onsemi collaboration, which focuses on next‑generation 900V EV platforms powered by onsemi’s EliteSiC enhanced M3e technology. Moving from 400V to 900V allows higher system output and better thermal performance, reducing energy lost as heat in the powertrain. For drivers, the pitch is simple: more kilometres from each charge, stronger acceleration even at highway speeds and, crucially, shorter charging times when using compatible fast charging technology. Silicon carbide‑based power electronics are showcased as key differentiators, with cutaway drivetrains and live efficiency dashboards used to explain benefits in plain terms. Models like NIO’s flagship ES9 and other vehicles planned for the Beijing Auto Show demonstrate how 900V EV platforms are becoming centre‑stage attractions – signalling a broader industry move toward efficiency, scalability and charging convenience as core performance metrics.
What Malaysian Car Buyers Should Look For Beyond the Badge
For Malaysian shoppers visiting regional motor shows, this global shift offers a practical checklist. First, evaluate infotainment capabilities: does the car support rich automotive infotainment data services such as high‑quality streaming, cloud navigation and smooth OTA updates, and is the interface intuitive? Second, examine connectivity: look for 5G connected cars that can take advantage of improving local networks, especially if you rely on real‑time traffic data or remote services. Third, scrutinise the charging architecture. Vehicles based on 800–900V EV platforms, like those highlighted through the NIO onsemi collaboration, will increasingly pair with ultra‑fast public chargers, cutting stop times on future highway networks. Finally, pay attention to ecosystem partnerships – between carmakers, chip suppliers, telecom operators and charge‑point providers. In a market where infrastructure is still maturing, these alliances often determine how seamless your ownership experience will be over the years you keep the car.