What role does artificial intelligence play in vehicle control and automation?

Picture this: You're cruising down the highway, your car effortlessly adjusts to the flow of traffic, maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and changing lanes when you use the turn signal and stopping safely if the vehicle ahead comes to a halt. Early in my career I have been lucky to work on such algorithms making our driving experience fun and more safe. I fondly remember the countless hours spent with my team, fine-tuning the car's 'eyes' – the sensors – to detect the unexpected, like a hidden vehicle in your blind spot. Now, at MathWorks, I guide other engineers to weave their own innovations into the fabric of automotive AI. As our vehicles become software-defined AI for driver assistance will make our cars adapt to us.

Perhaps the field where AI techniques have had the largest impact is in automated driving. The ability of machine learning and deep learning models to perceive the surrounding environment has made them an essential tool in the push to higher levels of autonomy. These models are used to translate data from vehicle sensors into meaningful representations of the environment. Building such models requires a few foundational pieces: labeled ground-truth data that can be used to train models, algorithms for fitting models to data, and a framework for validating the performance of the models. Because real-world data plays an important role in building such models, much of the work involved relates to obtaining and curating data sets.

Ai in #automotiveengineering is enhancing design and optimizing performance. It augments traditional methods, such as improving fuel economy through machine learning models that consider road conditions. From my experience, AI not only develops new features but also refines existing ones, enhancing vehicle dynamics for #safety and utilizing reinforcement learning to reduce #emissions. AI has become essential in development workflows, aiding in exhaust gas estimation and analyzing real-world fleet data for system calibration. Its integration is crucial for advancing vehicle technology toward greater safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.

Machine learning (or #AI if one must) is revolutionizing vehicle maintenance, enabling predictive upkeep that minimizes downtime and cuts costs. In commercial vehicles, this AI-driven approach is key to preventing costly unscheduled repairs. Anomaly detection identifies issues early, ensuring production line reliability and extending to on-vehicle diagnostics that forecast service needs. Industries are adopting #predictive algorithms to foresee equipment failure, enhancing part longevity and avoiding unnecessary waste. AI in vehicle maintenance marks a shift towards proactive servicing, boosting performance and #sustainability in the automotive sector.

AI's integration into vehicle personalization and UX promises substantial benefits. It not only promises to enhance the driving experience but also will bolster safety. I'm particularly enthusiastic about adaptive safety systems, which analyze driving patterns to tailor assistance. Novice drivers receive additional support, while veterans enjoy a more responsive drive. This advancement in AI is like having a co-pilot who knows you well, ensuring every journey is safer and more in tune with your driving style.