Already AI has found many useful applications in automobiles
The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association recently hosted its annual Innovation Series conferences for auto dealers, managers, auto students, suppliers and marketing experts.
A representative from Microsoft spoke about how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting the auto industry and suggested it could be one of the world’s most fundamental pieces of technology in the years ahead.
I would agree with that assessment. Already AI has found many useful applications in automobiles, including driving features, cloud services, auto manufacturing and insurance, and driver monitoring.
Vehicles today have on-board sensors that alert drivers to potentially dangerous situations. Forward-collision warning systems, blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, driver-assist steering and cross-traffic detectors are among the AI features that are making vehicles safer and more efficient to operate.
In the area of autonomous vehicles, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Audi are some of the automakers leading the foray into AI applications for driverless cars. The arrival of driverless cars on our roads — still a decade or more away from mass adoption — will help to reduce the number of auto accidents, traffic congestion and emissions.
Conventional vehicles alert drivers to problems with their engine, engine oil and battery, but with a connected vehicle, thousands of sensors monitor data points and can alert drivers (and technicians) to a potential component failure down the road. This AI feature is known as “predictive maintenance,” which will lead to better vehicle performance and quicker response times for repairs.
With auto manufacturing, AI is transforming not only what vehicles do, but how they are designed and manufactured. AI is used to identify defects in parts, to make adjustments on the fly and to alert quality control teams. Is is also used for operator-free transport vehicles (inside a factory), and for auto painting, automated welding and assembly-line functions. The benefits of AI in manufacturing include greater efficiency, safety and flexibility in the manufacturing process.
As the Microsoft representative said at the conference, AI could provide solutions to an auto industry that is already showing signs of strain with six million traffic accidents and 37,000 traffic-related deaths per year in the U.S.
Further compounding the need for efficiency in cars is the fact the average driver spends 38 hours annually in traffic, and 30 per cent of U.S. carbon emissions are generated by automobiles.
One of the most interesting applications of AI in automobiles is with in-car experiences. AI features, such as in-car virtual assistants and driver-behaviour monitoring, are already available in some models and have become key selling features.
Looking ahead, AI features in automobiles will become more integrated into our daily lives. In the not too distant future, your car will be able to recognize you by face or voice (Hyundai has already introduced biometric technology, which allows drivers to access their vehicles and start their engines through a fingerprint). AI-activated cameras inside the car will be able to recognize other passengers and alter audio content for individual passengers.
In-car AI cameras will be able to recognize a person’s voice, gestures, body language and facial expressions to make sure the driver is fully alert and aware of his/her surroundings. This technology will also allow a driver to change the music or ask where the nearest restaurant is simply through a hand gesture.
Indeed, AI is one of the technologies that have inspired automakers to view the auto industry from a different perspective. Cars are no longer just a means of transportation, and our relationship with automobiles is changing at an extraordinary pace.
It is no coincidence the theme of the 2020 Canadian International AutoShow (autoshow.ca) is “transformative times.”
This column represents the views and values of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association. Write to [email protected] or go to tada.ca. Cliff Lafreniere is president of the TADA and is president of Pinewood Park Motors (Ford) in Kirkland Lake. For information about automotive trends and careers, visit carsandjobs.com.
Keyword: Dealers Voice: Artificial Intelligence is transforming the automobile industry