As Audi and Mercedes demonstrate the benefits and debate the issues surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) Honda has revealed that for its upcoming appearance at January's CES in Las Vegas, it will be showcasing how AI will play a crucial role in its vision of future mobility.
The appeal of cars and other vehicles that can learn as they travel rather than constantly needing to be told what to do, opens up a host of opportunities whether it's in the field of private vehicle ownership or in the commercial sector -- delivering goods or providing services.
Honda will be bringing the NeuV, a new concept plug-in electric concept car that will use AI to autonomously ferry commuters to their destination while, in the company's words, creating "new possibilities for human interaction and new value for customers."
The company won't be revealing the full extent of its research until its official keynote on January 5. But Honda is by no means alone in looking to AI to solve the automotive issues of tomorrow.
Audi is this week showcasing a car with the ability to learn how to park itself at NIPS -- a special event dedicated to artificial intelligence running in Barcelona.
It is the first time that Audi has attended the show, which runs until Saturday, and the prototype it's demonstrating, based on a Q2 compact SUV, can search for, navigate to and negotiate itself into a parking space without help.
There are already self-parking cars on the market that can pull into or out of a pre-determined space, but what makes the Audi's technology special is that it's the result of trial and error. The car started by driving in random directions and trying random things and eventually built up a picture of its surroundings and the routes to spaces. It has learned how and where to park itself.
Artificial Intelligence was also the topic of Mercedes-Benz's annual Future Talk in Berlin over the weekend where scientists, automotive executives and neuroengineering experts debated AI's advantages and moral implications for the car of tomorrow. "Artificial intelligence will only be successful on a long-term basis if we succeed in building up trust between man and machine," said futurologist Alexander Mankowsky. "We must define the division of tasks between human and artificial intelligence."
Mercedes is already heavily invested in AI, particularly in the field of autonomous driving where a car's ability to automatically recognize objects and situations and take suitable action will be crucial. "[It] has ceased to be science fiction and the progress in autonomous driving is an impressive proof of this," said Anke Kleinschmit, Head of Daimler Group Research.
