Suppliers are coming out of the shadows at CES

If 2019's CES follows precedent, automakers will attract the biggest herds of journalists to view their newest technologies and most recent progress in self-driving vehicles.

Which is only fair.

CES — a sprawling and rowdy Las Vegas electronics trade show — has only partly to do with autos.

But it has nonetheless elbowed its way into the auto industry's line of vision in the past few years as yet another new-car show, tantalizing audiences with the latest and most futuristic features automakers have to offer.

But component suppliers deserve attention, too. Parts makers with roots in consumer electronics are spending billions to advance the lidar systems, supercomputers, artificial intelligence, "smart" cockpits, gesture controls and all the other gadgets that autonomous vehicles require.This week, several key suppliers are offering CES attendees a peek at those technologies. Here's a taste.

Robert Bosch is introducting the Bosch IoT Shuttle, a driverless electric shuttle that seats up to four passengers. Each passenger has access to an infotainment display and concierge service for advance bookings, weather reports and travel tips.

Faurecia has a "smart" cockpit, called the Smart Life on Board, highlighting new approaches to seating, driver controls, sound systems, climate control and information displays. One of the more interesting technologies is a high-definition infotainment screen developed with Japan Display Inc. The screen slides out of the instrument panel when the vehicle shifts into self-driving mode.

Magneti Marelli is spotlighting its Smart Corner headlamps and taillights, which can house a self-driving vehicle's array of radar, lidar and cameras. The compact package allows automakers to reduce weight and minimize wiring. Magneti also is showcasing laser high-beam headlights with a range of almost 2,000 feet.

Panasonic is using CES to proclaim its interest in a global market for electric bicycles. In November, Panasonic announced plans to supply electric bikes to Kent International Inc. of Parsippany, N.J., for sale in the United States. Kent initially will offer two e-bikes based on Panasonic's Japan-market XU1 and Velostar models. The two companies will disclose more details on Monday, Jan. 7.

Visteon is showcasing a cockpit screen that displays other cars and road obstacles that sensors spot while the vehicle is in autonomous mode. The idea is to give passengers confidence that the vehicle can safely avoid other cars, trucks, cyclists and pedestrians. To do so, Visteon has integrated Smart Core — its domain controller for cockpit displays — with Drive Core, which analyzes data from lidar, radar and cameras.

ZF is introducing an improved version of ProAI Robothink, a central control unit for self-driving cars. In 2018, the German supplier unveiled a first-generation version of the supercomputer developed with chipmaker Nvidia. At this year's CES, ZF is displaying a family of ProAI control boxes configured for autonomous cars, commercial vehicles and industrial applications.