BriefCASE: The scramble to get GenAI on board

There is an unmistakable buzz around generative artificial
intelligence (GenAI), and as with most industries today, GenAI
tools are all over automotive. And why not? From streamlining
processes, enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and automating
software to improving performance metrics, there’s hardly an
automotive process today that cannot seem to benefit from AI-driven
tools.

Of the many GenAI tools and applications available today,
ChatGPT has really caught on with the automotive industry thanks to
its varied use cases. For automakers still lacking GenAI expertise,
now is the time to close this gap with strategic partnerships for
capability-building. Launching pilot projects on existing
technology platforms can help them build expertise in a low-risk
manner while forming partnerships with experienced technology firms
can help expedite the delivery of capabilities.

S&P Global Mobility believes that OEMs will need to collaborate
closely with their chosen AI technology providers. This partnership
will not only improve the process of data collection from vehicle
but also establish advanced LLM training to enhance overall AI
proficiency and offer comprehensive services and
functionalities.

Here’s a snapshot of how OEMs are leveraging GenAI to offer
smart solutions:

• Mercedes Benz has been beta-testing ChatGPT in over 900,000 of
  its vehicles in the US, to explore how the AI tool can enhance the
  intuitiveness of MBUX’s voice-control features. Mercedes-Benz is
  also testing ChatGPT in production to accelerate the use of
  intelligent tools in the MO360 digital production ecosystem.
• BMW has incorporated ChatGPT into its iDrive system, letting
  drivers control various functions of their car using
  natural-language voice commands.
• General Motors has a wide-ranging collaboration with Google
  around Google Cloud’s conversational AI technology, Dialogflow,
  that powered the automaker’s OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant
  (IVA) launched in 2022. Leveraging Dialogflow, the IVA provides
  OnStar Members with routing and navigation assistance, including
  turn-by-turn directions.
• Volkswagen became the first volume automaker to offer ChatGPT
  as a standard feature when it unveiled its first vehicles with the
  technology integrated into its IDA voice assistant at CES 2024.
  Powered by Cerence Chat Pro, Volkswagen’s ChatGPT variant will be
  rolled out in the following models – ID.71, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3,
  all-new Tiguan, all-new Passat, and the new Golf – starting in the
  second quarter of 2024.
• Peugeot has integrated ChatGPT into its i-Cockpit and can be
  activated via the voice assistant ‘OK Peugeot’. By introducing
  ChatGPT into its cars, Peugeot seeks to enhance the experience of
  the voice assistant, making it more interactive, seamless, and
  user-friendly.
• Following in the footsteps of its parent company VW, Škoda
  plans to incorporate Cerence’s automotive-grade ChatGPT as a
  standard feature for many customers from mid-2024.
• Stellantis’ DS Automobiles brand will integrate ChatGPT as
  standard on all its models equipped with the DS IRIS voice
  assistant starting in March 2024. Powered by SoundHound Chat AI and
  available in 13 languages across 18 countries, DS IRIS can respond
  to a vast range of questions from hundreds of real-time
  domains.
• Tesla’s Autopilot system uses AI algorithms (Convolutional
  Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, and Reinforcement
  learning) to enhance the performance of the car’s advanced driver
  assistance features. Tesla also revealed its own version of an AI
  chatbot called Grok last November, which is currently in test
  mode.
• Faraday Future has integrated its Generative AI Product Stack
  in its first production vehicle, the FF 91. Through this stack, the
  company has integrated its foundational AI capabilities with
  advanced models such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, and others, to enable a
  range of personalized applications in the vehicle.

Author: Vivek Beriwal, Senior Research Analyst, UI/UX,
Supply Chain & Technology, S&P Global Mobility

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This article was published by S&P Global Mobility and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.