CES 2027 Game Plan: Robotaxis, a Sphere Keynote and How to Get to Vegas From the Valley
Quick Read
CES 2027 runs Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas, with media days and CES Unveiled on Jan. 4 and 5.
Keynotes announced so far come from Stellantis, Waymo and Lenovo, all on opening day, Jan. 6.
CES is a trade-only show for people 18 and older in the tech industry, and a Standard Pass costs $149 through Nov. 30.
Driving from Salem takes about 16.5 to 18 hours each way, and January mountain passes can require chains.
The biggest tech show on the planet is 80 days away. CES 2027 opens on the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Wednesday, Jan. 6, and the first big names are already locked in. Self-driving cars, a concert-hall keynote at Sphere and a lot more robots are on the early menu.
Here's what's confirmed so far, who can actually get in, and how to get there from the Willamette Valley without a January surprise.
The basics
Show floor: Wednesday, Jan. 6, through Saturday, Jan. 9, 2027. Exhibits run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on opening day, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, according to the official schedule.
Media warm-up: CES Unveiled Las Vegas and Media Day 1 are Monday, Jan. 4, at Mandalay Bay, followed by Media Day 2 on Jan. 5. Both are media only.
Hotels: CES names onPeak as its official housing agent, and hotel booking is open now on CES.tech.
Plan your trip to CES 2027
CES 2027 runs Jan. 6-9, 2027, in Las Vegas. This search is set for Jan. 5-9 check-in and checkout. Hotels near the show fill up early.
Who's on the main stage
Three keynotes have been announced so far, and all of them land on opening day, Jan. 6, according to the CES keynote page.
Stellantis, 8:30 a.m. PT. CEO Antonio Filosa follows the CTA State of the Industry Address in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian. The maker of Jeep, Ram and 12 other brands says it plans to unveil new vehicles and software platforms, according to the CES announcement.
Waymo, 1 p.m. PT. Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana takes the same stage. CTA says Waymo serves more than half a million rides a week and recently opened to its first public riders in Las Vegas, its 15th U.S. market, so attendees may be able to ride in one, according to the CES announcement.
Lenovo, 5 p.m. PT. Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang brings Lenovo's Tech World event back to Sphere for an immersive show about what Lenovo calls hybrid AI. Seats are limited to credentialed CES attendees, according to CTA.
CTA says more keynote announcements are coming.
What to watch on the floor
Cars that drive themselves. With Waymo and Stellantis both keynoting, autonomous driving and in-car software are front and center. Waymo is at booth 3741 and Stellantis at booth 4518, both in the West Hall.
Robots with real jobs. CTA has said this year's robots should show work they are already doing, not just demos. We covered that, and what it means for Salem's Agility Robotics, in our earlier CES story.
AI everywhere. Lenovo's Sphere keynote is built around AI that works across phones, PCs and the cloud, and the startups in its AI ecosystem will be on display in Sphere's atrium.
Can you go?
Probably only if you work in tech. CES is not open to the general public. It is a trade-only event for people 18 and older who are affiliated with the consumer technology industry, and registrants must upload proof of that affiliation, a photo ID and a date of birth, according to the registration rules.
If you qualify, the clock matters. A Standard Pass, which covers the show floor, keynotes and select sessions, costs $149 through Nov. 30 and $349 from Dec. 1 on. The Premium Pass with every conference session runs $1,450 through Nov. 30 and $1,750 after, according to CES pricing.
Getting there from the Valley
Most Willamette Valley travelers will fly out of Portland, but CES week is also road trip season for gadget fans. Here is what our route research found for a nonstop drive from Salem.
The Sun Belt route: I-5 through California's Central Valley, then east to I-15. About 1,105 miles and 18 hours of driving, with the lowest passes and the most services. It is the safest January bet.
The High Desert route: Willamette Pass, US-97 and Reno, then US-95 through the Nevada desert. About 940 miles and 16.5 hours, with big scenery and long empty stretches.
Plan for chains. Siskiyou Summit on I-5 is a standing snow zone where ODOT requires drivers to carry chains or traction tires. Check ODOT TripCheck, Caltrans QuickMap and Nevada's NV Roads before each day.
Real January days with stops, charging and weather run longer, so most drivers split it over two days.
Pack smart
Long badge-line waits and all-day booth crawls drain phones fast. A pocket battery like the Anker Zolo 10,000mAh power bank, with its built-in USB-C cable, earns its spot in a show bag. If you're checking a suitcase on the flight down, an Apple AirTag 4-pack lets you track bags and keys through the Find My app.
Plan your trip to CES 2027
CES 2027 runs Jan. 6-9, 2027, in Las Vegas. This search is set for Jan. 5-9 check-in and checkout. Hotels near the show fill up early.
Sources
CES: CES 2027 home page and Dates and Hours
CES: Registration Information; Conference Program and pass pricing
CES: Keynotes; press releases on Stellantis (Sept. 8, 2026), Waymo (Sept. 21, 2026) and Lenovo (Oct. 7, 2026)
Drive times: Willamette News route research using Valhalla and OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data; ODOT TripCheck
As an Amazon Associate, Willamette News earns from qualifying purchases. Willamette News may earn a commission when you book travel through our Expedia links.
Comments