The exodus continues as BMW and Mercedes are the latest automakers to pull the plug on CES.
In a statement, BMW said they’ll move “all planned media activities at CES to a fully digital program livestreamed from Germany” on January 5th at 2:00 PM EST.
The automaker went on to say the presentation will feature the world premiere of the iX M60 as well as “collaborations with world-renowned artists, the first-ever demonstration of a technology that changes a vehicle’s exterior color, and the in-car entertainment experience of the future.”
Also Read: GM Pulls Out Of CES Amid COVID Omicron Concerns, Silverado EV To Debut Online
BMW isn’t the only automaker adjusting their plan as CNET is reporting Mercedes has canceled their attendance as “the health and safety of our customers, partners, employees and guests are our highest priority.”
Automakers aren’t the only ones dropping out as we’ve received a number of e-mails from suppliers and startups informing us of canceled events. These are in addition to changes previously announced by heavyweight such as GM, Waymo, Amazon, AMD, Intel, and Microsoft.
The cancelations and smaller physical presences at CES are due to the Omicron variant, which CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has said is “spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society.” It’s already wreaking havoc across the globe as a number of restrictions have been enacted in Europe, while thousands of flights were canceled over the Christmas holiday.
