Factory zero, artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly important roles at General Motors' Detroit-based electric vehicle assembly plant.
AI-based vision systems can quickly identify maintenance issues such as battery leaks, damaged metal parts, and patchy paint. Marketing teams use AI tools to analyze consumer behavior and adapt market research and promotional efforts.
General Motors is looking to retain the crown as America's largest automaker amid increasing competition from rivals, so corporate leaders see AI as the key to its success.
Meet customers where they are
John Francis, GM's Chief Data and Analytics Director, said artificial intelligence is contributing to change across the company. For one thing, AI helps GM reach consumers at the “right moment” of their car buying journey, allowing car manufacturers to adjust their production lines “real-time” to meet demand.
GM's AI solutions can provide insight into how to adjust production to deliver the functionality that customers want most, using data points such as customer interactions and sales and manufacturing metrics. According to Francis, examples include “seamless connectivity,” personal and passenger needs of drivers, as well as safety features tailored to traditional and electric engines. AI solutions can also ensure that anomalies are detected and fixed before customers receive a new vehicle.
Francis said the technology is offering new GM customers a more enjoyable driving experience. For example, with the help of AI and machine learning, GM will work with organizations such as Pilot and EVGO to find the best location for EV charging stations, making it easier for GM drivers to power them. Decision-making is made through algorithm-based analysis of traffic flows and nearby EV chargers, in addition to human expert knowledge.
Look at the car scenery
GM leaders are not the only leaders who look to AI to drive growth. This technology is causing a wider wave across the automotive sector. A Global Market Insights study shows that AI automotive technology is a $4.8 billion industry, potentially reaching $186.4 billion over the next decade.
As proven by General Motors, AI is improving the efficiency of automobile production lines and maintenance warehouses. However, the technology offers benefits to end users by overhauling the driving experience.
Wyatt Mayham, co-founder and CEO of IT Consultancy Northwest AI Consulting, said that by adopting AI technology, automotive companies could be able to design and sell “enhanced driver assistance systems” with features such as better automatic emergency braking and lane assistance.
AI Transformation Advisor Tariq Munir also envisions a bright future for AI Automotive Technologies. In particular, he hopes that automakers will utilize “smart, self-optimizing systems” that “make production optimization and supply chain planning possible with near perfect accuracy.”
He said that carmakers could potentially reduce vehicle testing costs by combining AI with immersive technologies such as augmentation and virtual reality to effectively carry out the test.
“This is a smart factory revolution in manufacturing,” he said.
Early Disorders
Despite some success so far, GM's AI and ML conversion journeys can face challenges. One was to ensure that AI solutions would bring long-term, tangible benefits to all customers. This requires sufficient data. Therefore, Francis said he and his team spent quite a bit of time implementing a robust IT infrastructure to collect, process and analyze large data sets.
Additionally, this digital environment had to be scalable from the start to drive the rapid expansion of AI adoption across various sectors of GM, so Francis and his team built a “scaled computing environment.” This is a type of IT infrastructure that features self-regulated computing resources such as power and storage to meet the needs of organizations and employees as they change over time.
Resistance to change is another common pitfall of AI adoption within companies. Some workers are naturally concerned that AI can replace them, and using this technology is overwhelming for those new to it.
With these concerns in mind, Francis said it is essential that business leaders understand employee concerns about AI and provide appropriate support and peace of mind to ensure they can make the most of their technology. Francis says GM believes AI should increase, not replace workers.
“At GM, AI is seen as a tool to enhance job functions, allowing highly skilled labor to focus on tasks that humans are uniquely qualified. Machines simply cannot be executed.
Customized tools may appear soon
Challenges aside, Francis and other industry leaders remain optimistic about the future of the automotive industry and the role of AI. In Frances' case, customers increasingly demand vehicles packed with advanced safety and connectivity capabilities to suit their specific needs.
“AI and data analytics help us deliver it accurately across the lineup, whether someone is looking for a traditional engine or getting electricity,” he said.
This sentiment is reflected by Royston Jones, world head of automobiles at Altair, a computational intelligence company. These are what he thinks AI will continue to be effective in the automotive industry in the coming years.
“In the long term, AI will drive the industry to massive amounts of customization, shorter development cycles and sustainable innovation that are consistent with changing customer value and regulatory demands.”
