That auto-related tech can usually be broadly split into two general categories: technology that helps the car go somewhere and technology that makes its interior a better place to be while getting there.

ENGADGET: 's CES 2013 Preview: Autos

They become customers for more sophisticated products made in the U.S. Lose an auto parts job, gain a high-tech job.

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One thing the tech and auto industries can agree on is that self-driving cars are doable.

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As a piece to the bigger picture of the auto industry's turnaround, Rhett's company, Carbi-Tech, makes dies and stamps brass-plated parts used in throttle and brake controls for Ford, Chrysler, suppliers in Canada, and Delphi Automotive LLP.

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In Japan, where Softbank is the favored partner for U.S. high-tech firms, Microsoft introduced CarPoint, its Internet auto locator service after offering 50% to Softbank and another 10% to Yahoo Japan, where CarPoint will be the exclusive car-buying service.

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After playing games like Grand Theft Auto III and the Tegra 3-enhanced Shadowgun, I'm convinced we tech enthusiasts live in an exciting time.

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Sometime this morning, a car dealer in Petaluma, California, will hand Mr. Chalouhi the keys to his new Nissan Leaf, and the young Silicon Valley tech-exec will drive off the lot and into our collective auto future.

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It's become a bit of a must-attend event for auto lovers too, with more and more major manufacturers showing up each year, rolling out their high-tech wares to show the industry just how well they're keeping in touch with the broader world of tech.

ENGADGET: 's CES 2013 Preview: Autos