AI is transforming cars! Explore the top 5 AI features, including ADAS, voice recognition, driver monitoring, and AI-enhanced navigation, and discover how drivers are reacting to these high-tech advancements.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the automotive industry, bringing a wave of new features to your daily drive. But how do you, the driver, really feel about all this high-tech wizardry? Let's dive into 12 key AI-powered features in modern cars and explore how consumers are reacting.
ADAS is a broad term for a range of AI-driven features designed to make driving safer and more convenient. These systems use sensors and algorithms to assist with tasks like:
ADAS features are generally well-received. Consumers are becoming increasingly familiar with them, especially features like park assist, collision warning, and lane assistance, as automakers increasingly offer them as standard or optional equipment. However, some surveys indicate that while consumers desire these features, they may not be willing to pay extra for them, potentially viewing them as basic safety features that should be included in the vehicle's base price.
Most car manufacturers are integrating AI-powered voice technology into their vehicles to give you a better driving experience and as technology evolves, so too does the level of sophistication available in our cars…
These advancements are driven by the increasing consumer interest in voice AI, the demand for more autonomous vehicles, and the need to reduce driver distraction. AI is enabling cars to become more connected, personalized, and capable of understanding natural language, which is revolutionizing how drivers and passengers interact with their vehicles.
According to an independent survey, there's been a 52% increase in driver interest for advanced voice assistant features and 76% of U.S. drivers would use voice generative AI capabilities in their car if it was available. However, as we become more accepting of AI in our cars, there are concerns about data privacy and reliability. With some research suggesting the technology isn’t quite ready yet.
AI-powered Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) are in-car safety technologies designed to monitor a driver's state and behavior to detect signs of drowsiness, distraction, and even incapacitation. The primary goal of DMS is to prevent accidents by alerting the driver or even triggering vehicle safety systems when a dangerous situation is detected.
Like most AI, there are concerns around privacy and security - especially if something were to go wrong. With DMS specifically, there has been some research which suggests too many false positives could lead to desensitisation from alerts. For example, joining your favourite song for an improv karaoke session or even just scratching your nose could lead to the AI creating a warning unnecessarily.
Similar to DMS, OMS monitors the condition and behavior of all occupants in the vehicle. This means if you’ve got a kid in the backseat, you know if they’re sitting safely or it can optimize airbag deployment depending who is sitting there. It also means you can’t walk away from your car and forget your kid/dog/passenger - yes this does happen and can have devastating consequences.
Whereas there are some concerns around DMS being ignored by drivers, the opposite can be true of OMS. Having too many ‘warnings’ every time a teenager shuffles about or a passenger is just trying to get comfy, especially on a long journey, could provide unnecessary distractions for the driver.
We’re all used to satnavs, but AI is upping the navigation game in our cars. By plugging into real time traffic, local social media and even your own personal driving preferences, AI can make sure it’s providing navigation advice tailored to your driving. So if there’s a specific road you hate driving down, the one particular junction that’s always a nightmare to turn out of or even a planned cycle even taking place in your neighborhood, your AI-Enhanced Navigation is going to know all that before it gives you a route.
Did you know…
BMW's iDrive system, particularly in newer models, learns driver preferences over time and can offer personalized route suggestions based on past journeys and habits.
Like the traditional satellite navigation system, there can be an overdependence to the point of overriding common sense. We’ve all seen the large trucks getting stuck down narrow roads or the family that almost drove their SUV off a cliffe, all with the excuse of being told to do so by their onboard computer.
Another challenge with OMS is the potential for AI bias. Any AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on so if the navigation is learning off based data, it could start factoring that in when calculating routes.
AI is undoubtedly revving up the automotive world, packing cars with clever features that promise safer, more convenient drives. While there's a healthy dose of excitement about these advancements, it's clear drivers also have their eyes on privacy, reliability, and whether all these bells and whistles are really worth the extra cost. As AI continues to steer us into the future, the key will be finding that sweet spot where technology truly enhances the driving experience without taking us for a ride.
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