Honestly, what comes to your mind when you hear the word Artificial Intelligence? Automation, right? AI has completely revolutionized a few sectors of the global market, including the automotive industry. The use of AI in the automotive industry has become frequent in the last decade, but it has been a beloved part of almost every science fiction movie. With its immense capabilities, automotive manufacturers have started integrating AI in their products to enhance security, mobility, and more.
simulate actual human thinking or decision-making ability. One other sector that inspired the automotive industry to implement AI in the process is the information and communication technology sector. We have a number of AI-based devices such as Alexa, Siri, and more.
In this blog, we will learn about the applications of AI in the automotive industry challenges and try to understand how it has changed the course of the said industry.
Applications of AI in the Automotive Industry
A decade ago, no one would have believed that self-driving cars could be a reality, but now, we have brands like Tesla that deliver driving support. Their cars can literally come to fetch you from the parking. However, it’s a short distance, but still, it’s worth it. We have compiled some of the top applications of AI in the automotive industry.
Planned Maintenance
Any machinery is subjected to regular maintenance; especially it has hundreds of moving parts which is the case of any automobile. With the help of AI, manufacturers can get imminent help in terms of intelligent data sets to determine the weak points of the process. AI gathers the data of every stage of the manufacturing cycle and helps in getting a layout that depicts where something can be arranged in a productive way.
Not only does it help in reducing the cost of manufacturing, but it also ensures a secure plan for the factory floor. Along with AI, Machine Learning algorithms are being used to get a perfect product prototype and simulations that later help in ergonomic manufacturing.
Apart from the manufacturing process, it helps in automatically scheduling the maintenance of a vehicle. As we know, every part of any automobile needs to be replaced after a fixed period of time, and with AI, it is more than easy to determine the date of part replacement. It evaluates all the previous records and helps in predicting the next date or time when any part would need replacement or prior maintenance. It benefits both; the owners of a vehicle and the manufacturers.
Enhanced Behavior Analytics with AI
With sensors and cameras integrated into the vehicle’s software, the automotive industry has significantly harnessed the power of AI in developing programs that analyze driver behavior. Behavior analysis is mandatory as it helps manufacturers to know their user base and implement changes in the design of the vehicles. On the other hand, it helps the drivers to get an idea about their driving patterns and improve them over time to make the most of their vehicle.
From a social point of view, behavior analysis is important to determine the causes of road accidents. When solid datasets are available for a cause, it becomes easier to design a solution. AI-based devices are now available in almost every vehicle that measures driving patterns, average speed, number of sharp turns, level of drowsiness, and more.
For instance, Tesla has a feature based on AI, ML, and IoT that senses the activity of drivers and stops the vehicle slowly when the driver is found to be inactive or drowsy. It is done by sensors that are placed on the dashboard and measuring the speed and various other parameters. AI, along with IoT, helps understand the causes of rash driving and gives hints to the driver when they engage in the said activity.
Apart from the above-mentioned points, AI also helps in tracking distractions. It is more than natural to be distracted while doing any kind of activity, but distractions during driving can be fatal. Hence, AI-based devices integrated into the vehicle tells the driver when they are being distracted from driving for a long period of time, such as talking on the phone, smoking, and more.
Analyzing the Surroundings
With the integration of AI in vehicles, the automotive industry has progressed a lot in enhancing the level of safety while you are hitting the road. Whenever you are on a drive, road conditions never remain the same or smooth. It presents a challenge for the drivers to be attentive all the time. Thanks to AI-based applications, it uses the sensors and the cameras installed in the vehicle to determine the road conditions. Not only does it alert us about the physical condition of the road but also about the traffic situations.
IoT-based applications help drivers to get a better idea of the road they are driving on. Well, some of you may ask, why is it needed? So, picture this, you are driving at a speed of 80 miles an hour, and suddenly you hit a bump on the road, and you can’t do anything to control your vehicle. It can be fatal. The same goes with the situation when you are driving above the speed limit in a city, and suddenly a jaywalker comes in front of your vehicle.
Automatic braking systems based on AI have helped in reducing the number of road accidents. It determines the type of object around your vehicle and alerts you when it thinks; the upcoming movement can be fatal. Another situation where knowing the road conditions can be helpful is when you are driving in unknown cities. This application of AI is extremely important and feasible; it helps you get clear navigation along with the geographical conditions of the road to keep you aware of the obstacles coming ahead.
Effective Supply Chain Management
Enough about the things AI has improved inside the vehicles. Let’s talk about how applications of AI are changing the manufacturing process. It takes thousands of parts to make a single vehicle, and inventory or the supply chain needs to be robust to facilitate an efficient manufacturing process. With the help of AI-based applications, manufacturers are easily tracking every part and reducing the cost of manufacturing by streamlining their inventory.
Apart from manufacturing, AI is also helping the manufacturers in predicting and analyzing the market scenario to plan a perfect marketing strategy and limit the manufacturing to avoid loss. Depending on the market situation, it also helps in determining the most feasible cost of a vehicle.
Extreme Quality Control
Effective quality control can save any automobile manufacturer a lot of capital. Applying AI in the process not only helps in analyzing the data but also helps in determining the flaws in the quality and designing an ideal system. A vehicle has to go through multiple quality checks before it can be ready to be delivered to the market. With AI, automotive industries are developing systems that are helping them in identifying even the smallest flaws in the vehicle, such as cracks in the metal sheets, bubbles in the paint, and more.
Some live examples of these systems are Audi and Porsche, as they have implemented a computer vision that helps them in determining the quality of sheet metal they use for their vehicles. These systems are only possible with AI and ML.
Challenges in Adapting AI in the Automotive Industry
Not everything is just sunshine and rainbows; there are some challenges that come with the search for perfection. AI is no different; although it has some pretty effective applications that are making the world a better place, there are some challenges it needs to solve. The global automotive artificial intelligence market is projected to cross the valuation of 8,887.6 million USD by the year 2025. Here are some of the top challenges that come with applications of AI in the automotive industry.
Difficult for Agile Methodologies
Although AI has changed the automotive industry for good, some industries that follow agile development methodology feel difficulty in integrating AI. They must feel complex because AI is data biased and only favors the outcomes based on the analysis. In the future, automotive manufacturers have to find a way to work with the two. All the hope is not lost; we have AI-based software and applications that make up for the methodology that automotive companies use.
Security Concerns
The automotive industry has a huge load of data that can be termed sensitive. It consists of vehicle designs, part designs, and millions of other data that need extreme security. With the implementation of AI, security concerns arise as it needs all the data to derive feasible patterns. However, this challenge can be easily solved with a security application in place that is based on the cloud. Automotive manufacturers can easily find a cloud-based security application provider and integrate it into the system to lower the security risks.
Demographic Challenges
It is not feasible for automotive manufacturers to operate from a single country. They have manufacturing plants in various locations, and implementing AI produces a problem of localization. Training all the staff with a language barrier can be a challenge. But it can be easily solved with the help of a skilled team of linguists. Automotive manufacturers can train their staff to make the most of AI-based applications and algorithms.
How can Matellio Help You with AI-based Solutions?
Automotive solutions based on AI are changing the global market for good. The current market scenario suggests that the progress will be significant in upcoming years. AI can be implemented with the help of applications and software to automate the process of manufacturing while lowering the risks. Matellio has been developing software and applications based on AI for more than a decade.
We have a team of skilled developers and experts with diversified experience in the field of AI, ML, and other next-gen technologies. Our high client retention rate says everything about the quality of our deliverables. We understand your needs as a business and offer a list of flexible engagement models that helps you in keeping your budget in check. Reach out to our experts over a 30-min free consultation call for more information!