New year, new tech. Sin City begins 2017 in style, for a few days becoming the world’s greatest technology hub filled with innovations we didn’t know we needed. The automotive industry in particular is evolving at a fast pace. Trends in connectivity, fuel efficiency and social behavior drive its development. Manufacturers are also offering upgrades for everything from super-resistant windshields to autonomous driving. Corning Inc. premiered its newest Gorilla Glass, a windshield that is five times tougher and up to 60 percent lighter than conventional windshield laminates. The windshield provides real-time updates on traffic and landmarks while also enabling a lighter, more fuel-efficient ride. Ford is the first automaker to use Gorilla Glass in a production windshield. Its GT supercar model comes equipped with Gorilla Glass in the bulkhead and engine cover, cutting 12 pounds from the weight of the vehicle. Gorilla Glass Automotive can help automakers comply with rising standards: U.S. automobile fleets must reach 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, while European Union fleets must achieve 57.6 miles per gallon by 2020. Microsoft executives publicized that they would focus their efforts on connecting vehicles to Microsoft’s cloud services. The company describes its new platform as “a set of services built on the Microsoft Azure cloud and designed to empower auto manufacturers to create custom connected driving experiences.” It is not an in-car operating system. Instead, it is a “living, agile platform that starts with the cloud as the foundation and aims to address five core scenarios that our partners have told us are key priorities: predictive maintenance, improved in-car productivity, advanced navigation, customer insights and help building autonomous driving capabilities.” Renault-Nissan confirmed its plans to use Microsoft cloud services for navigation, predictive maintenance and remote care monitoring. BMW announced its partnership with...