The Future of Autonomous Vehicles: How AI is Shaping Transportation

12-Sep-2024

Artificial intelligence can drive significant changes in any industrial sector, and you can see many examples nowadays, but one of the sectors where AI is pushing its boundaries is transportation, and you can see notable changes. When you look a century ago, it was a time when engine car or MVs was introduced on the road but now, it's the time of AVs or Autonomous Vehicles. In this article, you will find out how AI is reshaping transportation and what is the future of autonomous vehicles (AVs). 

Let's look into some facts before diving into the topic. Driverless cars or vehicles are in trend and can be seen on roads, but to see them at their full potential will take decades because there are some challenges that most AV manufacturing companies are facing. It was estimated that by the end of 2035, the AV industry could create $300 billion in revenue only by using AI technology.

Understanding AI in transportation

AI in transportation majorly refers to the use of advanced algorithms in vehicles; it helps people travel smoothly on the road while taking less time. Many objectives of using AI in AVs include making it driverless, remote-control, safe, fuel-efficient, and more. AI has been implemented successfully, using advanced communication, controls, and embedded systems that absorb their surroundings through sensors and assist in safe navigation. 

Improving the Current automotive transport system

The need for autonomous vehicles is supported by many facts in the current transportation system. There are nearly 1 million deaths that have been recorded on the road globally, and almost 90% of them happened only because of human error. A fully autonomous vehicle has the potential to not only reduce this accidental death rate but also make the road safer for pedestrians as well because here, AI will be considering and eliminating all the possible fallibilities done by humans, such as overspeeding, drinking and driving, perceptual errors, decision errors and more. 

Role of AI in Autonomous Vehicles

When it comes to finding the role of AI in Autonomous Vehicles, it helps in making decisions based on predictive modeling and natural language processing, which enables the detection of objects using a special camera, predicting the behaviors of the object, and planning the route. The concept of AI in AVs can be seen on a large scale, where AI uses LiDAR, cameras, and radar-based sensors to perceive surroundings and uses the insights for the appropriate navigation on the roads. 

Implementation of AI in AVs

• Assess your needs and objectives: The implementation of AI in AVs begins with analyzing everything, including current operational challenges, costs, inventory controls, routing problems, and systems. Establishing goals for integration of AI and following a strategic plan. 

• Choose the right AI technologies: It is important to select an appropriate AI model to enhance operations for demand and route optimization on AVs for efficiency. Here, AI systems will be working on predictive analysis and other areas to provide immediate updates and assistance and make important decisions. 

• Develop a Strategic Plan: A structured roadmap with timelines and milestones should be created to ensure the effective implementation of AI in AVs and the completion of AI implementation in phases.

• Integrate AI Solutions: To confirm compatibility with the current system, small pilot programs can be launched on a limited scale to test AI in AVs. Gather information from various sources and integrate it to ensure its effectiveness prior to wider implementation.

• Train your Team: Offering appropriate training and education to the employees about effective usage and management of AI in AVs. Encourage them to adopt approaches for AI solutions and continuous assistance by showcasing advantages. 

• Monitor and Evaluate Performance: Tracking performances based on key indicators and collecting feedback continuously for the identification of the potential issues and can take actionable measures in the areas of improvement.

• Ensure Compliance and Security: Adhering to data protection laws and deploying cybersecurity measures for shielding systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

• Scale and Innovate: AI can be incorporated so that solutions can be found for scalability across various operational areas, and emerging innovations can be integrated into rating goals. 

Challenges and Drawbacks of AI in AV

AI has been in the initial phase of integrating and improving the transportation system, so there will be some challenges that are significant and need our attention. Some significant drawbacks can be seen as well with the AI tech improvement in AVs, and these include the unemployment of skilled workers such as all kinds of drivers, use of expensive technology, reduction of collection from the taxes and insurance to the government or related body, increasing of dependency on AI functionally, mentally and technically, and challenges on making laws and regulations for the uses. Let's find and understand more challenges and drawbacks below.

• Limitations in tech: AI-embedded systems need high-quality data to work, and environmental factors may affect their accuracy. 

• Safety and Reliability: Even a small error may lead to significant system failure, which may cause fatality, which is a major challenge for autonomous vehicles.

• Challenges in Regulation: One of the major challenges for using AI in AVs is setting up standard regulations and protocols that all AV manufacturing companies can follow for development and deployment. Regulatory bodies may struggle with advancements in AI tech because new technologies are introduced more quickly, making it difficult for them to stick with one. 

• Ethical and Security concerns: Insights generated by AI Algorithms can create biases, which may lead to unfair outcomes and decisions. Although AI improves functionality, it also comes with some security concerns, such as data breaches that may lead to unexpected losses.

Future of AI in AV

All the advancements in AI technologies will bring a feature that hosts the efficiency and safety of AVs. The future of AI in AV promises new innovations toward the solutions of mobility for AVs. AVs powered by AI also expect a revolution in the transportation systems, where we can see more structured or organized road traffic, improved safety, and limited mobility. In the next 50 years, the future of AI will undergo remarkable changes, and we may see the new or first generation of AI-powered two-wheelers or no-wheelers (basically air transportation vehicles) that AI fully controls.

How AI is Shaping Transportation. Future of Autonomous Vehicles