Qualcomm.com
Remember “Knight Rider?” The ’80s TV show centered around a detective whose sidekick was a talking car called KITT. This futuristic sassy AI on wheels could maneuver over obstacles, drive itself at high speeds and detect a bad guy’s presence from miles away.
There was also Disney’s 1969 film, “The Love Bug.” VW Beetle “Herbie” had a quirky personality and an uncanny ability to help his driver win races. The car’s number 53 and all-white body with red, white and blue racing stripes was iconic. I even bid on Herbie at an auction in 2018 but backed out before it sold for $128,700.
Let’s steer this conversation into the future
As it turns out, Hollywood wasn’t too far off with its “futuristic” cars. Qualcomm recently announced new chips designed to make cars not just driving machines but AI on overdrive. Yep, the vehicles of tomorrow may learn more about you (and your passengers) every time you get in.
Imagine your car seamlessly switching between navigation, entertainment and messaging without you having to lift a finger. It’ll “know” your likes and dislikes … all by collecting a mountainload of data points about you.
So, what, exactly, can generative AI do for your car?
Here are some examples of how your ride is about to get a whole lot smarter:
- Voice assistants: Your car will respond based on who’s driving. For instance, if it knows you’re the usual driver, it may open the door automatically, adjust the seat for your height, set the interior temperature, give you a morning news brief and order your coffee for pickup — and even pay for it.
- Digital savvy: If you’re giving your friend a ride and someone texts you gossip about them, your car could be “smart” enough not to read that text aloud. It’s all thanks to AI’s ability to understand context.
- Enhanced safety: With over 40 different sensors including 16-megapixel cameras, your car will know when you’re approaching a dark tunnel, when the sun’s glare might blind you or if a pedestrian suddenly appears in front of you.
- Personalized zones: While only the driver gets alerts about road conditions, your kids in the backseat will stay immersed in their favorite movies or games without interruptions.
- Proactive navigation: Your car could adjust your route based on real-time traffic or weather conditions — even road closures.
- Real-time translation: Taking a road trip across the border? With AI-powered language processing, your car will offer real-time translation of road signs and assist you in conversations with locals.
- Health monitoring: AI will detect signs of stress or fatigue by analyzing your driving or your voice. Gain a few pounds? Yup, your car will tell you it’s time to cut back on those calories and direct you to the nearest gym.
Qualcomm’s already signed up heavy hitters Mercedes-Benz and China’s Li Auto, with promises of seeing this generative AI tech in action next year.
Cruising on the money train
With the vast amounts of data collected by AI-powered cars, both ad companies and automakers have new revenue streams for targeted advertising.
- Imagine personalized ads appearing on your car’s infotainment screen. “You seem hungry. How about I take us to your favorite burger joint, where you can get free fries today with your order?”
- AI voice assistants could upsell features such as advanced navigation services. “It’s cold out. I can turn on the heated seats for only $9.99 a month.”
- Digital roadside billboards could adjust their content dynamically based on the car’s data. “You won big at the casino last week! Go again now!”
Self-driving cars fall flat
Whether it’s a traffic jam, a construction zone or an unforeseen obstacle, self-driving cars can’t always handle the unexpected as well as a human driver. That’s where this type of AI will really move the needle.
Qualcomm’s new neural processing unit (NPU) massively boosts computing power. This allows the car to juggle multiple tasks at once (think navigation, entertainment and safety alerts) while making real-time decisions based on the data it’s constantly collecting from cameras and sensors.
Maybe then, I’ll get into a self-driving car or taxi … Well, after a few years of it being on the road.
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Tags: AI (artificial intelligence), automotive industry, cars, data
