At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2008 in Las Vegas, the head of one of the Big Three automakers delivered a keynote address, the first time an automaker has gotten one of the marquee speaking slots in the history of CES. Richard Wagoner, chief executive officer of General Motors Corp., underlined the importance of electronics in new and future cars.

"All the factors point to a convergence of the automotive and electronics industries that is literally transforming the automobile," he said.

Rick Wagoner said the automobile's future is electronic and green, using alternate fuels and slick technology to protect both people and the environment. "One of the next big steps is to connect automobiles electronically to keep them from connecting physically. We are working our way up the technology ladder," he said.

Wagoner came onto the stage in a Chevrolet Volt, a prototype electric car that is allegedly on track to reach the market by 2010. He later showcased the Cadillac Provoq, a cross-over vehicle that sports a high-tech fuel cell power source. The fuel cell unit is half the size of its predecessor and offers more power. The car will, if ever mass-produced, have a range of 300 miles with a 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds.

"Our intent is to bring you the future of transportation," the chief executive of General Motors Corp. said. "We’ll do this by working more closely than ever with the consumer electronics industry, using electronics to reinvent the automobile."

A good example of a new application of electronics in cars is the OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown system, announced in October last year. Slated for a 2009 debut on select General Motors cars, the new system will, as its name suggests, slow down your stolen vehicle after it’s been reported stolen. The OnStar subscribers can call the service’s agents, which will later report the complaint to the police, simultaneously tracking the car with the help of the real-time GPS.

When the police spot the vehicle, they can request the OnStar agents to remotely slow down the car. This is possible because the agents will have access to the car's powertrain system, limiting fuel flow to the engine and thus gradually slowing down the car, to avoid damages and casualties.

OnStar services require vehicle electrical system (including battery), wireless service and GPS satellite signals to be available and operating for features to function properly. Approximately 1.6 million 2009 model year vehicles will be equipped with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, with Chevrolet accounting for over two-thirds.

The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that the market for car tech will exceed $12 billion in 2008, having thus doubled in just five years.