#Valeo

With so many bewildering and downright fantastical automotive concepts premiering at the Consumer Electronics Show this time of year, it’s easy to feel downtrodden by the industry’s mobility shenanigans. Thankfully, CES still plays host to some genuinely interesting tech that might actually make your life a little easier.

For French automotive supplier Valeo, that meant showcasing a system that utilizes cameras and some very careful framing to effectively see through a towed object. Called the XtraVue Trailer system, the technology works in a similar fashion as the nanotechnology invisibility blanket under development by the U.S. military — just much simpler.

Coming soon to an Audi near you is Valeo’s electric supercharger, which will help boost engine acceleration while improving fuel economy.

You’ve seen the 2016 Chevrolet Volt at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show; now see what else automotive-related is debuting at the annual tech show in Las Vegas.

Though full electrification might not be in the cards for most consumers, those looking for turbo power for their vehicles could find a little bit of that black magic in the turbo itself down the road.

Back in the heyday of import tuner magazines, there was an ever-reliable advertisement for some kind of “electric turbocharger”, generally the kind seen above. Much like the “10x pheromones”, one couldn’t help but wonder who was buying enough of them that buying ad space was worthwhile.