2021 has been a “reactivation” year for several sectors. With the increase in COVD-19 vaccination and the reopening of various services (commercial flights, hotels, amusement parks, etc.) many companies have decided it is time to innovate and apply Artificial Intelligence to their processes. Here, we will take a look at some of the most interesting and impactful projects being applied to the auto and auto parts sector.

KSTRC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation), an Indian state-owned public road transport company, has decided to implement AI solutions to its bus fleet. Specifically, it has started to implement a Collegian Warning System (CWS) and a Driver Drowsiness System (DDS) to their bus fleet to increase safety. The CWS will prevent collisions by warning the driver in case of obstacles, pedestrians, and other cars. On the other hand, the DDS will prevent the driver from falling asleep, and alert the control room of driver drowsiness.

Google and Siemens have announced that they will cooperate to enable the scaled deployment of AI-based solutions for industrial manufacturing. Siemens plans to integrate Google Cloud’s data cloud and AI/ML technologies with its factory automation solutions to harmonize their factory data and enable applications such as visual inspection of products and predicting the wear-and-tear of machines on the assembly line.

Wind River has partnered with Hyundai Autron to create new software that will integrate their advanced computing features with safety features within the infotainment system, reducing dependency in hardware products, and increasing safety of the cars.

From 2018 BMW has implemented AI in different business areas. This year, BMW uses AI for their R&D department, allowing them to learn their user’s energy consumption, adjusting it and helping them have a more efficient drive. Additionally, they have implemented AI solutions to their Supply Chain, recognizing when parts need to be resupplied in their plants, making production more efficient. Another important area where AI has been implemented is in the production process, by using AI powered machines to paint car exteriors and checking production defects.

Different companies such as Volvo, Navistar and Paccar have started to implement autonomous driving AI systems in their trucks, helping truckers travel safer and more comfortably. Additionally, Tesla will deliver its first fully autonomous Trucks later this year. These systems are developed for accident prevention and safety, increase fuel efficiency, fleet management and route optimization.

These are just a handful of projects being implemented this year. However, they showcase some of the applications AI can have, and how it is impacting our world.

AI Parts is pleased to be part of the changing world. With three interconnected products, AI Parts offers AI solutions that can transform your company, increasing efficiency, internal and customer communication and service in general.

As we have already mentioned in our previous articles, artificial Intelligence is impacting Business and the automotive sector in amazing ways. Most of us have heard about self-driving cars, parking assistance and even “halo” applications in modern electric cars. However, AI is impacting the sector in a different, but equally important area: Car Maintenance.

Car maintenance is an important part of the automotive sector. All cars require maintenance to function properly and to be able to avoid failures. This said, AI is starting to be used in two ways: Automotive Maintenance and Predictive Maintenance.

Automotive maintenance requires the owner to have at least basic knowledge about its car need. All vehicles include an owner’s manual, that helps the owner know, in general terms, when certain maintenance is required. However, these manuals have basic information that does not consider how the owner drives and where he drives. To help maintenance, most cars (all newer cars) have sensors that help diagnose when a part is failing, needs repair or requires change (oil, filters, etc.). To help with these processes, as well as inspection processes, manufacturers and mechanics have implemented AI tools that help the carry out automotive maintenance. Some of these tools are included by the manufacturer in the car, to help them read sensors and determine, in a more precise way when a part must be replaced. Others are used by mechanics to help them obtain data that can allow them to understand how and where the damage is, or read the information in the car for better and more transparent inspections.

Predictive Maintenance is used by manufacturers and mechanics to know when will a part require replacement, when can a failure occur and/or how long will a product last. AI is fundamental for this process, analysing data and information from the vehicle (regarding, how and where it is driven) to predict and correct errors before they happen. Predictive maintenance is carried out in the vehicle (through sensors and an onboard AI), as a fleet (companies with a large fleet of cars monitors the use of the cars by linking the ICU’s), in the supply chain (through mechanics collecting data from their customers) and via vehicle addons for car owners (dongles and/or software).

The use of AI in the car maintenance sector clearly is beneficial, as it helps owners, mechanics and manufacturers carry out maintenance, but it also helps them predict when this is required. The benefits do not stop there, as with technological progress, AI develops in a way in which it can help predict and prevent not only wear and tear but also accidents.

The future use of AI is bright, with new uses emerge every day, such as: i) helping car insurers find out the state of the car, to help determine the correct insurance policy to apply to a car and its owner; ii) vehicle voice integration, allowing the AI generate recommendations by learning from your behaviours and habits; and iii) self-repairing cars.

Artificial Intelligence is an area that keeps growing as time passes by. From 10 years ago to today, the capabilities and uses of AI have increased exponentially. Today, AI can drive cars, predict traffic and weather, help customers chose suitable clothes and furniture, and even make art. AI’s impact is not reserved for one sector, but the whole world economy. This said, one of the biggest impacts AI will have soon, is in how we carry out business.

When speaking of business, we think of businessmen in suits, seated in a conference room, discussing investment, profit, etc. However, as most businessmen know, business is much more than that. From buying products to marketing them, from price decision to production costs, business is a craft that is carried out by most people, even if we do not realize it. When we talk about business, we must include every type of commercial venture, from a small-town general store to a global conglomerate.

This said, AI has the power to impact all these seemingly unrelated businesses in an important manner, and this will occur as near as 2022. Every day new applications for AI are discovered, with different implications to the business sector. AIoT, Conversational AI, Machine Learning (ML), hyper-automation, and AI on the Cloud are just some examples that are already starting to impact the business world.

By 2022, most (if not all) online stores will offer virtual assistants, that will help (persuade) the consumer decide what products they should buy. Thanks to ML, producers will be able to predict the next trends in almost all sectors. Supply-chains will be able to work autonomously, with predictive and automated warehouses. These are just some examples of how AI will impact business in the coming years.

As a result, business must adapt and embrace AI for them to not be let behind. The best business strategy for the coming future – as it has always been – is to be first, implement AI solutions, when needed, as soon as possible and beat the competition to it.

Today, you can find a wide array of AI technology offerings, each designed to meet a specific need. The key is to select the product that suits you and your specific needs. The path to future business success is connected to AI implementation, but selecting the correct solution is key to this success.

In the digital age, businesses, small and large, must implement new technologies to adapt to the changing world we live in. The pandemic has accelerated the transformation to the digital age. While most sectors have adapted, the auto service sector remains in antiquity, following the same principles and business models of the past. The only way this sector can grow is by implementing new technologies. The following are just some of the technology implementation strategies to grow the sector.

 

First, the sector must adopt Artificial Intelligence to survive. Not only do new cars have AI technologies that you need to know about, but the implementation of these technologies will allow this sector to become more efficient and allow them to wake up. AI allows this sector to offer services not only of correction, but also of prevention. In addition, the use of AI will improve the supply chain and the internal operations of the service shops, as it has already happened in other sectors.

 

Next, it is necessary to digitize the operations of the sector. Through the digitization of operations, the transparency and efficiency of the sector will be increased, reducing costs, and increasing customer confidence in service providers.

 

Finally, it is important for car service providers to understand EV type cars. The electric car has come to stay, and the movement towards this type of car continues to grow with the reduction in prices of these vehicles (Today it is possible to buy a new electric car for € 10,000, thanks in part to Government concessions) and different benefits it gives the buyer. Car service providers need to be able to offer ICE and EV car services to stay in the industry.