LAS VEGAS -- While many of this year's head-turning innovations at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) were strictly lifestyle enhancers--everything from wearable technologies to smart-home devices--convenience store retailers saw many applications that could influence shopper expectations or improve site operations.
Automotive innovations are an obvious connection. At the annual Las Vegas show last week, car maker Hyundai, Fountain Valley, Calif., showcased numerous futuristic features such as connected cars (having the ability to access the Internet), voice recognition, hand-gesture controls, wearable devices that can alert drivers who unintentionally leave their lanes, smartphone apps and in-car Wi-Fi.
The ability to find a gas station has become standard as automakers have begun to bundle the types of built-in features and entertainment functionality consumers are beginning to demand.
In conjunction with the Vegas show, AutoTrader.com, Atlanta, released findings from its Car Tech Impact Study, which enlisted Harris Poll to survey 1,033 U.S. vehicle owners last October. The study found that 80% of respondents would prefer to use a navigation system built into their vehicle to one on their smartphone.
"Consumer electronics are quickly becoming a spectacle in the automotive industry thanks to the development and demand for car technology," said Michelle Krebs, AutoTrader.com senior analyst.
Here are a few products with potential uses in the convenience store environment that companies announced at the electronics show:
- Anti-microbe ATM touchscreen. Diebold Inc., North Canton, Ohio, teamed up with Corning Inc., Corning, N.Y., to introduce an automated teller machine (ATM) touchscreen featuring an anti-microbe agent. The glass is designed to inhibit the growth of algae, mold, mildew, fungi and bacteria on its surface.
- A remotely activated, smart thermostat. From Farmington, Conn.-based Carrier, the thermostat reduces costs by 20%, allows system management via mobile app or desktop interface, the company said.
- Beacon model. Toshiba America Electronic Components, Irvine, Calif., introduced a reference model for indoor proximity application or "beacons," which use Bluetooth technology to communicate to smart devices.
- 360-degree camera. For video footage of a store site spanning 360 degrees, Pittsburgh-based 360fly said its camera (pictured) will be available in the spring of this year. Smaller than a baseball, the lightweight, mountable camera puts users in the "director's chair" by allowing the ability to shoot everything in sight from a single video camera.
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