Understanding How AI Is Shaping the Future of the Automotive Industry

As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

It seems like AI’s influence is being felt everywhere these days, but we’re going to explore how it’s advancing automotive technologies and making our lives better on the road.

Most people are familiar with self-driving and autonomous vehicles, which utilize a form of AI to help assess and navigate roads in real-time. There are also AI assistants, such as Siri, Alexa, or even Gemini, which are usable on mobile devices and have eventually begun to make their way into vehicle entertainment and console technologies. But there are many, many other ways in which AI is enhancing the automotive industry as a whole.

It’s happening both from a manufacturer’s standpoint, utilized in the creation of vehicles, and from a consumer’s standpoint, leveraged during commutes, road trips, or grocery runs. “Disruptive” is a good term to describe the movement, but not in a sense that it will uproot everyone’s lives — more like enhance our in-vehicle experiences.

To get a better understanding, let’s take a closer look at some of the ways AI is shaping the future of the automotive industry, conceptually and figuratively.

Autonomy and self-driving

Although fairly well known thanks to the likes of Tesla, Waymo, and others, we still couldn’t get away with making a list that didn’t include this functionality. Self-driving vehicles are the future. Whether they’ll be riding us to our favorite destinations, vacations, and back and forth between work and home, or taking us for a night out with a designated driver who never drinks.

In this field, AI is making huge advancements in general navigation, real-time or on-the-fly assessments, efficient time management by generating smarter routes, and smarter more aware controls through direct communications with modern vehicles.

Automatic Braking

I happen to drive a vehicle that has automatic braking incorporated. It works okay, but sometimes it has a knee-jerk reaction. While cruising on the highway, if a car slides into our lane, no matter how far away, it will slam the brakes. You’re in for a heart attack and a lot worse when it happens, and it’s no fun.

AI could be used to smooth out this feature, cutting down on false positives but also helping to better apply the brakes. And in emergencies, AI will also react faster than any human ever could.

Computer Vision and Object Detection

Yes, computer vision and object detection are heavily intertwined with self-driving technologies, but they can also be used to vastly improve our own human perceptions, as well. Most modern vehicles already include lane departure and blind spot alerts, and AI can take that a step further.

Monitoring systems can be augmented to detect and report road signs, traffic lights, pedestrians, bikers, and other vehicles. Real-time alerts can provide near-instant feedback and notifications to help under various conditions, like inclement weather. You know those pesky drivers who throw their hazards on in heavy rain or snow but keep driving? Yeah, the AI will help you stay informed and safe when things like that occur.

Customized Entertainment

Imagine AI using your likes, dislikes, and browsing history to recommend in-car entertainment from movies and music to podcasts or audiobooks. They’re not just tailored to you, specifically, but also your trip. Playlists that last the full length of your drive, for example. Volume that’s adjusted to match road noise, ambient sounds, and activities — lower volumes in more intense traffic situations.

Even content recommendations for the passengers in your vehicle, like your kids, that also take into account what’s happening. Movies and shows that aren’t too loud and distracting. Content that matches the drive, including pit stops. Playlists that can soothe their anxieties and put them to sleep if needed.

Driver Monitoring and Safety Alerts

During long road trips, it’s easy to fall prey to the space out problem, where you don’t remember a lot of the drive, just leaving and reaching your destination. Worse still, late at night, especially on two-lane roads, fatigue can set in fast. AI monitoring solutions can help ensure you’re alert and tell you when it’s time to pull off at a rest stop and take a break.

Imagine systems that can detect when you’re getting tired or your eyes are closing for just a little too long. It sounds slightly annoying here, but it could be the difference between life and death on the open road. This would also come in really handy in long-haul trucks, transport, and delivery vehicles.

Maintenance and Vehicle Services

While it’s not difficult to imagine an AI controlling robotic arms or tools to actually work on vehicles in the near future, today’s technology is more about monitoring and alerts. Smart diagnostic systems can assess what’s going on under the hood of a vehicle and recommend fixes or treatments, but also as preventative measures.

The data from vehicle sensors can inform the AI, so it knows when a vehicle breakdown may be coming or service may be required, so-called digital anticipation. Some new vehicles already take that a step further and automatically schedule service appointments with official dealerships or shops to streamline the entire experience.

Route Planning and Logistics

Many of us already use GPS and map technologies to plan out our route or search a destination. AI can advance that considerably by also helping to optimize routes for traffic, accidents, and even fuel efficiency. Imagine a system that knows precisely how much gas you’ll use and can help you maximize your fuel costs?

This isn’t just for consumers either. Fleet management and logistics teams can use it to streamline routes for deliveries, trucks and other vehicles can cut down on fuel consumption, and tracking can help pinpoint where individual drivers are on the road. Advanced fleet crews already use a lot of these solutions in their day-to-day operations.

With electric vehicles, the same tools can be used to optimize routes for energy usage and generation. Plotting stops that coincide with reliable charging options and ensuring no one is stranded on the roadside.

Voice Recognition and In-Car Controls

If you have something like Alexa in your home, you’re familiar with using voice commands to turn on or off lights, electronics, and kickstart other tasks. AI assistants can bring that same functionality into our vehicles, where hands-free interactions really make a difference.

You can keep your hands on the steering wheel, but use voice recognition and commands to change radio stations, start or stop playlists, make phone calls, send messages, adjust in-car climate settings, or even do something like turn on your high beams or set cruise control speeds.

Some of These Technologies Are Already Available

Undeniably intriguing, likely very useful, many of these technologies seem like future opportunities that are coming down the pipeline. But some are already available. Autonomous and self-driving vehicles are a good example. Smart infotainment systems, lane departure warnings, automatic braking, and route planning.

When it comes to maintenance, you can also make use of tools like an advanced car scanner to spot engine issues or concerns. The diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) will flag when something is definitely wrong, but you can also review real-time operational data, like voltages, to see when sensors and other components might be failing. Of course, we recommend tools like the Innova 5610 for advanced diagnostics, but there are many options.

These advanced technologies are exciting, but you don’t necessarily have to wait for AI to make the first move.

Back to Blog Academy