11 Ways AI is Changing How We Design, Build, and Drive Cars 🚗 🤖

EDITOR’S NOTE

Dear Nanobiters,

Picture this: you're cruising down the highway, enjoying the scenery, when suddenly, a car in the next lane veers a little too close for comfort.

Your heart skips a beat, but before you can even react, your car gently nudges you back into your lane, a subtle yet lifesaving intervention courtesy of your AI-powered Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS).

This is just one example of how artificial intelligence is transforming the automotive industry.

From self-driving cars that navigate complex roads to smart factories that optimize production, AI is transforming every aspect of vehicle design, building, and experience.

In this issue of Nanobits Industry Focus, we'll explore the world of automotive AI, its current applications, the challenges it faces, and its potential to shape the future of mobility.

Buckle up and join us for a ride into the AI-powered future of driving! 🚘️ 

In Today’s Newsletter:

• OK Google, Floor It! Qualcomm & Google's Road Trip to AI-Powered Cars

• Need Car Advice? Meet Avira & Vir—MG Motor India's New Chatbots

• The Intelligent Car: How AI is Changing the Way We Drive

TOP NEWS
Qualcomm & Google are taking over In-car AI

Qualcomm and Google have partnered to develop advanced AI voice assistants for automakers. Qualcomm has also secured a deal with Mercedes-Benz to power future vehicles with its new Snapdragon Elite Cockpit chip. This collaboration aims to streamline the development process for automakers, reducing friction and confusion in implementing advanced in-car technology.

Why is it relevant?
AI is transforming the automotive industry by enhancing driver experience and vehicle functionality. This will allow automakers to develop AI voice assistants and immersive map experiences. This partnership signals a convergence of tech and automotive sectors, with AI enabling smarter, more connected cars. It reflects broader trends of AI integration across industries, reshaping user experiences. Read More

TOP NEWS
MG Motor India Introduces AI chatbots with Google Cloud

JSW MG Motor India and Google Cloud have launched two AI-powered chatbots, Avira and Vir, to enhance customer experience and streamline services. These chatbots are designed to provide personalized support through natural conversations, offer real-time assistance, and adapt to customer preferences over time.

Why is it relevant?
As AI-powered assistants become more prevalent, car manufacturers leverage this technology to improve customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and sales. This trend is not limited to JSW MG Motor India, as other major car manufacturers like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW are also embracing AI-powered assistants to enhance the in-car experience. Read More

NANOBITS RESEARCH
Cars That Think? AI is Putting the Pedal to the Metal!

According to research, the global automotive artificial intelligence (AI) market was valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to be USD 7.0 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 24.1% during the forecast period. 

Experts predict the automotive GenAI market will explode, going from $312.5 million in 2022 to a whopping $2.7 billion by 2032. That's a huge jump, with an expected CAGR of ~24% over the next decade.

Key Drivers of Growth of AI in the Automotive Industry

The demand for a more personalized and convenient driving experience is fueling AI's rapid and explosive growth in the automotive industry.

Features like AI-powered driver assistance, personalized in-car entertainment, and voice-controlled systems enhance user experience and drive demand.

As cars become more sophisticated, AI is key to creating a seamless and enjoyable interaction between the driver and their vehicle.

This increased reliance on AI is transforming the automotive landscape and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the modern driving experience. 

Applications of AI in the Automotive Industry

Driver Assistance:

AI algorithms analyze data from cameras, radar, and other sensors to provide features like lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. These systems help prevent accidents and make driving safer and less stressful.

• Motive: Developed an AI Dashcam that identifies and alerts drivers of unsafe driving behaviors such as tailgating.

• Ola Guardian: Ola's ride monitoring system uses AI and machine learning to analyze ride anomalies, such as route deviations and unexpected stops. The system learns and evolves from millions of data points daily to improve risk signaling and resolution.

• Tata Elxsi is leveraging AI to transform automotive testing, ensuring higher accuracy and reducing time-to-market for products. This technology is instrumental in features such as lane departure warnings, lane change assists, and reversing camera alerts. These systems rely on vision cameras and AI algorithms to monitor lane markings and alert drivers if they unintentionally veer off course.

• SapientX: Created white-label software incorporating conversational AI with speech recognition and natural language processing in vehicles.

• CarVi: Offers an AI-powered ADAS that provides driving analysis, real-time alerts for potential dangers (lane departure, forward collisions), and a scoring system for driving skills.

• Genesys International claims it is India’s first AI-powered navigation map tailored specifically for the automotive and mobility sectors.

• Nauto: Developed AI sensor technology for commercial fleets that focuses on reducing distractions and assessing driver behavior to prevent collisions.

• Tesla: Features Autopilot, an ADAS with automatic steering, accelerating, braking, lane changing, and parking. While these features offer driver assistance, Tesla emphasizes that drivers must stay attentive and be ready to take control.

Lenovo's AI team worked with Richard Childress Racing, 16-times NASCAR champions, to optimise pit stops. They developed a custom AI solution that uses computer vision to monitor refuelling, telling the pit crew exactly when to stop fuelling to ensure the perfect amount of fuel for the race.

Autonomous Vehicles:

Self-driving cars rely on AI to perceive their environment, make complex decisions, and navigate roads without human intervention. AI algorithms process massive amounts of sensor data to identify objects, plan routes, and respond to changing road conditions.

• Magna International: Uses AI for object detection and classification to help autonomous vehicles understand their surroundings, including weather, traffic volume, and speed limits.

• Motional: Focuses on autonomous driving technology for robotaxi services, boasting a record of over 100,000 self-driven rides without at-fault incidents.

• Swaayatt Robots, based in Bhopal (India), has pioneered autonomous vehicle technology, enabling cars to navigate the complexities of busy roadways independently. With over 80 demonstrations already conducted on Indian roads, the company has showcased the effectiveness of its groundbreaking technology.

• Waymo: Utilizes 360-degree perception technology powered by AI to detect pedestrians, other vehicles, cyclists, and obstacles from up to 300 yards away.

• Zoox: Designs and builds autonomous vehicles from the ground up, specifically for robotaxi services. In 2023, they successfully conducted their first robotaxi ride with passengers on public roads.

• AutoX: Develops autonomous vehicles for both robotaxi and driverless grocery delivery services. Their vehicles utilize AI software, sensors, real-time cameras, and extensive testing for safe decision-making.

• Cruise: A General Motors subsidiary that develops self-driving cars. Cruise leverages AI to analyze vast datasets on road layouts, location, traffic patterns, vehicle performance, and rider behavior for autonomous operation.

• Flux Auto: A Bangalore-based startup developing modular self-driving technology for trucks. Their features include lane keeping, cruise control, and collision avoidance.

Driver Monitoring:

AI systems can detect signs of driver fatigue or distraction by analyzing facial expressions, eye movements, and head position. This technology can alert the driver to take a break or regain focus, preventing potential accidents.

SmartSoC Solutions, a leading product engineering company specialising in semiconductors, embedded systems, AI, and automotive innovation is pioneering the development of AI-based Front-End Collision Warning Systems (FCWS) specifically designed for Indian roads and transport conditions

• Magna International: While not explicitly stated, their use of AI for object detection and classification in autonomous vehicles suggests the potential for applications in driver monitoring, such as detecting driver fatigue or distraction.

• Nauto: Their focus on reducing distracted driving in commercial fleets through AI sensor technology indicates a clear connection to driver monitoring applications.

AI in Manufacturing:

AI-powered robots are used in car factories for welding, painting, and assembly tasks. These robots can work with greater precision and speed than humans, improving efficiency and reducing errors in the manufacturing process.

• Magna International employs AI in its manufacturing processes for predictive maintenance to minimize downtime. It also utilizes AI to provide human operators with insights to enhance decision-making during production.

• Ola Digital Twin: Ola Electric, India's largest electric vehicle manufacturer, uses AI to create digital replicas of its manufacturing environment. This platform uses AI tools, simulation technologies, and IoT platforms to improve manufacturing and product development.

• General Motors incorporates AI into its production lines, using predictive analytics to assess performance history and identify potential issues.

• Tech Mahindra will use the platform of Spanish deep-tech company Anyverse to provide synthetic data sets to train, validate, and fine-tune its global automotive customers' AI systems. The partnership will focus on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), in-cabin systems, and autonomous vehicle (AV) applications. This will help accelerate AI adoption and software validation timelines by 30-40%.

• CCC Intelligent Solutions: Connects auto manufacturers with a data pipeline from insurers and repair facilities, providing insights that could improve vehicle safety and durability manufacturing processes.

• Rockwell Automation: Equips manufacturing robots with AI to assist in car production, including assembly, painting, and part installation. They also offer AI-powered solutions for tire manufacturing and electric vehicle production.

• ABB offers robotic AI products for various industries, including cobots for vehicle part inspection and painting. These cobots leverage AI to sense people and objects and learn to stop when necessary.

Personal Assistant:

Voice-activated AI assistants allow drivers to control car functions like music, navigation, and climate control without taking their hands off the wheel. They can also answer questions, make calls, and send messages, enhancing convenience and connectivity on the road.

• Mihup is a tech start-up that has designed and developed AI-based voice assistants for automotive brands like Tata Motors. The deep-tech company has specialized in conversational and generative AI-powered applications for the automotive sector since 2019.

• MG Astor claims to be the 1st SUV in India to feature a personal AI assistant that incorporates 14 autonomous level 2 features.

• Sima.ai, a US-based chip manufacturing company, has partnered with Mercedes to provide special chips for integrating CHATGPT-based AI chatbots into the automotive system.

• Jeep India has launched a ChatGPT-based AI chatbot to redefine customer engagement. The chatbot can answer customer queries about manuals, features, etc., without human intervention.

• General Motors: Integrates conversational AI into their OnStar virtual assistance system, allowing drivers to interact with their vehicles through natural language.

Passenger Experience:

AI can personalize the in-car experience for passengers by providing customized entertainment options, adjusting seat settings, and even offering recommendations for nearby restaurants or attractions. This creates a more enjoyable and engaging journey for everyone in the vehicle.

• SoundHound utilizes generative AI to enhance the in-car experience by enabling more natural and intuitive voice interactions.

  • The company’s Chat AI for Automotive product integrates with external GenAI models, like ChatGPT, to facilitate smoother conversations and understand complex queries,

  • while proprietary technologies like CaiLAN and CaiNET ensure accuracy and manage domain responses.

  • This system allows users to engage in multi-step interactions, access vehicle information, plan trips, receive recommendations, and participate in educational and entertainment activities using their voice.

SoundHound’s vision extends beyond the in-car experience to building a comprehensive "voice commerce ecosystem."

Supply Chain Management:

AI algorithms can predict demand for car parts, optimize logistics routes, and track shipments in real time. This helps car manufacturers manage their supply chains more efficiently, reducing costs and minimizing delays.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a subsidiary of Germany’s Daimler Truck AG, has increased its spare-parts sales by two to three times by implementing an AI-based solution. 

The solution, called Vruddhi, works by continuously analysing the truck population, assess retention rates, and calculate demand based on vehicle usage patterns. 

This improvement in forecasting accuracy is yielding substantial benefits for the company’s aftermarket business, including a 20% boost in the company’s ability to provide timely parts deliveries.

• Magna International: Utilizes AI-powered predictive maintenance in manufacturing to reduce downtime, indirectly benefiting the supply chain by ensuring smoother production.

• CCC Intelligent Solutions: Connects auto manufacturers to a data pipeline from insurers and repair facilities, providing insights into vehicle durability and safety that can influence supply chain decisions related to parts sourcing and manufacturing.

• CallRevu, the leader in communication intelligence solutions for automotive dealerships, launched TestTrack, an industry-first AI-powered immersive training platform designed exclusively for automotive use. It offers dealerships a transformative approach to agent training that blends real-world scenarios with the latest advancements in AI.

Automotive Insurance:

AI assesses damage in car accidents, analyzes driving behavior, and personalizes insurance premiums. This helps insurance companies process claims faster and offer more accurate pricing based on individual risk profiles.

• CCC Intelligent Solutions: Leverages AI to facilitate better decision-making within the automotive insurance industry through digital transformation. Their solutions provide insights from insurers and repair facilities to auto manufacturers, potentially streamlining processes like claims assessment and risk evaluation.

Quality Control:

AI-powered vision systems can inspect car parts and finished vehicles for defects more accurately than human inspectors. This ensures that only high-quality vehicles leave the factory, improving customer satisfaction and reducing warranty costs.

• During a Lenovo Tech World 2024 presentation, Jason Huang, general manager of Lotus Cars’ smart cockpit division, showed AI's dramatic impact on defect detection during manufacture. Lenovo’s AI team, led by Daigle, Lenovo’s global AI director, had worked on the project.

Connected Cars: 

AI enables cars to communicate with each other and infrastructure, such as traffic lights and road signs. This allows for features like adaptive cruise control, which adjusts speed based on traffic flow, and hazard warnings, which alert drivers to potential dangers ahead.

AI in Designing:

AI tools assist car designers in creating more aerodynamic and aesthetically pleasing vehicles. They can generate design options, simulate performance, and optimize shapes for improved fuel efficiency and safety.

• Lenovo AI has started exploring virtual showrooms and vehicle customization,” said Daigle, Lenovo’s global AI director. “We’ve been able to showcase this with our sponsorship with Aston Martin. You could go in and customize a vehicle configuration in virtual reality (VR) with the color and features you wanted and be able to experience getting into that vehicle in VR before making a purchase.”

Integrating AI in the automotive industry offers significant opportunities but has several risks that must be carefully managed.

Here are some of the key risks and mitigation strategies:

Data dependency: AI systems rely heavily on vast amounts of data. Data quality, accuracy, and security are crucial to avoid biased or unreliable outcomes.

Mitigation strategies include rigorous data validation, robust cybersecurity measures, and anonymization techniques to protect privacy.

Safety concerns: AI algorithms used in autonomous driving must be thoroughly tested and validated to ensure safety on the road.

Redundancy systems, fail-safes, and extensive simulations are essential to minimize the risk of accidents caused by unforeseen situations or system errors.

Ethical considerations: AI raises ethical questions around decision-making in critical situations, potential job displacement due to automation, and the responsible use of data.

Addressing these concerns requires clear ethical guidelines, transparency in AI development, and ongoing dialogue with stakeholders.

Infrastructure limitations: Implementing AI in the automotive industry requires significant investments in computing power, storage, and network infrastructure.

Companies need to plan for scalability and adapt to evolving technological requirements to support AI applications effectively.

Workforce adaptation: As AI takes on more tasks, the automotive workforce needs to be reskilled and upskilled to work alongside intelligent machines.

Investing in training and education programs will ensure a smooth transition and empower employees to thrive in an AI-driven environment.

Looking at the huge demand-supply gap for trained professionals in AI, Vineet Singh, a former Tesla, Apple, and General Motors tech expert, has collaborated with Gauss Moto and Lizmotors Mobility, to establish a training platform Elevatics AI in India, which will be set up in five to eight major metros by FY 24-25, at a cost of US$ 50 million.

The programme will provide deep insights on mobility, including the latest trends and innovations in transportation, electric vehicles, autonomous systems, and connected technologies, while also focusing on emerging technologies such as blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision, and edge computing,

The automotive industry can harness AI's full potential by proactively addressing these risks and implementing appropriate mitigation techniques while ensuring safety, responsibility, and a sustainable future.

Future Trends of AI in the Automotive Industry

The future of the automotive industry is undeniably intertwined with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. AI is poised to transform not only how we drive but also how cars are designed, manufactured, and experienced.  

Imagine a world where:

• Autonomous vehicles are the norm: Self-driving cars powered by AI will navigate our roads with increased safety and efficiency, reducing accidents and traffic congestion.  

• Cars become personalized companions: AI will curate a unique in-car experience for every driver and passenger, anticipating their needs and preferences for comfort, entertainment, and convenience.  

• Manufacturing reaches new levels of precision: AI-driven robots will work alongside humans in factories, enhancing productivity and ensuring flawless quality control.

• Vehicles predict and prevent maintenance issues: AI algorithms will analyze sensor data to identify potential problems before they occur, maximizing vehicle lifespan and minimizing downtime.  

This future is closer than we think.

Major automotive players are already investing heavily in AI, integrating it into everything from advanced driver-assistance systems to voice-activated personal assistants.

As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more groundbreaking innovations that will redefine the automotive landscape and shape the future of mobility.

The road ahead is paved with AI, leading to a safer, smarter, and more personalized driving experience for all.