How AI is Paving the Way for Fully Autonomous Vehicles

How AI is Paving the Way for Fully Autonomous Vehicles

by Rohit Mahajan

Artificial intelligence and machine learning is truly revolutionizing the auto industry. Today's "smart" vehicles have AI to thank for most, if not all, of their onboard diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and remarkable connectivity.

However, the area where AI already is and is destined to make the biggest impact on the automotive industry will be how it ushers in an era of truly autonomous vehicles.

The key to how any AI solution “thinks” or functions are algorithms. In the case of realizing the dream of self-driving cars, AI and machine learning programs use object detection algorithms. These serve to collect data, analyze objects, and make accurate decisions while on the road. These features also enable these intelligent machines to provide solutions to problems occurring in advance of real-time by predicting events through the swift processing of data.

For example, autonomous vehicles can predict a potential threat like a car collision ahead or behind and make a decision in real-time to avert it. With good data collection sensors, these pieces of information are processed, and results are obtained as actions. In addition to the neural network and specific algorithms, self-driving cars have five core components that help them optimize operation in real-time, namely: computer vision, sensor fusion, localization, path planning, and control. They also have an enhanced degree of AI perception technology for detecting pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and work and obstacles that are 300 yards away.

Indeed leveraging AI to create fully autonomous vehicles combined every aspect of what AI and ML do best – analyze data quickly, recognize distinct patterns, and make instant decisions.

Already, autonomous vehicles can be found in some of the biggest cities of the world. Even heavy-duty trucks without drivers that can deliver goods over long distances have been manufactured.

There is no limit to how AI can and will enhance the driving experience for those traveling in an autonomous vehicle. Because these self-driving cars will have the capacity to “learn” thanks to AI, they can conform to the driver/occupants’ personal preferences and adjust everything from temperature, to speed, to the songs on the radio to the operator's personal preferences.

AI and CarTwin

In addition to paving the way for fully autonomous vehicles, the other major impact that AI is having on the automotive and transportation industry is in the use of cognitive digital twin technologies for predictive maintenance. Digital twin solutions like those developed by CarTwin extend the lifespan of cars and other vehicles by monitoring the vehicle's "health" through its " cognitive digital twin."

Basically, CarTwin can provide diagnostic and predictive models for all vehicle systems for which data is available (either directly or indirectly) onboard the vehicle.

Virtually any part of the vehicle that has sensors or that sensors can be developed for can be “twinned.” These data sets are then enhanced and augmented with design and manufacturing data that is already available by the OEM.?

Primarily designed for use in fleets of vehicles, in combination with powerful AI models, CarTwin predicts breakdowns, monitors and improves performance, and measures and records real-time greenhouse gas emissions, which reduces expensive maintenance costs and avoids lost revenue associated with fleet downtime.

It is very likely in the not-too-distant future, as fully autonomous vehicles replace human-driven fleets of over-road cargo transportation and taxis and limousine services, that technology such as CarTwin’s will also be incorporated into the algorithms to keep these vehicles not only self-driving but safe and on the road longer. ?

Please view the CarTwin pitch video by Corey Thompson, CEO, CarTwin at the Greentown Labs, Houston ClimateTech event on Nov 2nd, 2022: https://youtu.be/sxts2fA35UU

Rohit Mahajan is a Managing Partner at BigRio & C2RTech, Co-Founder at CarTwin, and the President and Co-Founder of Citadel Discovery. He has a particular expertise in the development and design of innovative AI and machine learning solutions for clients in Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail, Automotive, Manufacturing, and other industry segments.

CarTwin has leveraged AI and Digital Twin technologies to create a digital, cloud-based clone of a physical vehicle designed to detect, prevent, predict, and optimize through AI and real-time analytics. If you would like to benefit from our expertise in these areas or if you have further questions on the content of this article, please do not hesitate to?contact us.