Unveiling AI's Co-Pilot at CES 2017

Unveiling AI's Co-Pilot at CES 2017

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Vision of AI in Cars
3. The AI Co-Pilot: A New Capability
4. Surround Perception: Environmental Awareness
5. Internal Car Perception: Driver and Passenger Awareness
6. Facial Recognition: Human-Level Capabilities
7. Head Tracking: Determining Head Direction
8. Gaze Tracking: Monitoring Eye Movement
9. Lip-Reading: Understanding Speech
10. AI Assistant: Interacting with the Car
11. The NVIDIA AI Car Platform
12. The Drive PX Computer
13. The DriveWorks Operating System
14. MapWorks API: Interaction with Mapping Companies
15. Partnership with Baidu: Mapping China
16. Partnership with TomTom: Mapping Europe
17. Partnership with Zenrin: Mapping Japan
18. Partnership with HERE: Mapping Collaboration
19. Conclusion

The Future of AI in Cars: An AI Co-Pilot for Improved Safety and Awareness

Technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have paved the way for transformational changes in the automotive industry. NVIDIA, a leading AI technology company, envisions a future where cars are not only capable of driving autonomously but can also act as AI co-pilots to assist and protect drivers. This article explores the concept of the AI co-pilot and its potential impact on enhancing safety and awareness on the road.

1. Introduction

In recent years, the development of self-driving cars has gained significant traction. However, there are still complexities and challenges in achieving complete autonomy across all regions and conditions. To address this, NVIDIA proposes an innovative solution: the AI co-pilot. This technology aims to augment human drivers' capabilities by providing advanced AI-driven assistance and awareness.

2. The Vision of AI in Cars

The vision behind the AI co-pilot is to enable cars equipped with AI networks to navigate from one address to another across a large part of the world. While complete autonomy may not be feasible in certain situations, the AI co-pilot can assess the confidence level of the car and suggest when human intervention is required.

3. The AI Co-Pilot: A New Capability

NVIDIA introduces the AI co-pilot as a groundbreaking capability on their AI car computer. The AI co-pilot leverages the car's sensors, cameras, radars, and microphones to achieve surround perception and internal car perception. This comprehensive perception capability allows the AI co-pilot to be aware of the car's surroundings, the driver's state, and the passengers' well-being.

Surround Perception: Environmental Awareness

By analyzing the data captured by the car's sensors, the AI co-pilot can identify potential dangers and alert the driver in real-time. For instance, it can detect the presence of a cyclist or a motorcyclist ahead and notify the driver accordingly. This environmental awareness empowers the driver to make informed decisions and take necessary precautions.

Internal Car Perception: Driver and Passenger Awareness

The AI co-pilot extends its capabilities to monitor the driver and passengers within the vehicle. Through facial recognition, the AI co-pilot can accurately identify individuals and their emotional states. Additionally, it can track the driver's head and gaze direction, ensuring they remain focused on the road. In case of driver fatigue or distraction, the AI co-pilot can intervene and recommend appropriate actions, such as taking a break or pulling over.

4. Facial Recognition: Human-Level Capabilities

Facial recognition technology plays a vital role in the AI co-pilot's advanced capabilities. NVIDIA's deep learning facial recognition networks provide human-level accuracy, allowing the AI co-pilot to identify individuals inside and outside the vehicle accurately. This capability enhances security and personalization within the car.

5. Head Tracking: Determining Head Direction

The AI co-pilot utilizes head tracking to determine the direction in which the driver is looking. By analyzing the driver's head movements using onboard cameras, the AI co-pilot can anticipate the driver's intentions and deliver appropriate guidance or alerts. This feature enhances situational awareness and responsiveness.

6. Gaze Tracking: Monitoring Eye Movement

The AI co-pilot takes gaze tracking a step further by analyzing the driver's eye movement. This capability enables the AI co-pilot to determine the driver's focus and Attention, ensuring they maintain visual contact with the road. In situations where the driver's gaze deviates from the road, the AI co-pilot can intervene and offer Timely reminders to Refocus.

7. Lip-Reading: Understanding Speech

Lip-reading technology integrated into the AI co-pilot allows for natural language processing inside the vehicle. This capability enables the AI co-pilot to understand spoken commands accurately, even in noisy environments. By reading the driver's lips, the AI co-pilot can interpret instructions effectively and respond promptly.

8. AI Assistant: Interacting with the Car

In addition to its awareness and safety features, the AI co-pilot integrates with AI assistants like Shield and Google Assistant. This integration allows drivers and passengers to Interact with the car naturally, using voice commands and accessing various information and entertainment services. The AI co-pilot strives to enhance the overall driving experience by offering seamless connectivity and personalized assistance.

9. The NVIDIA AI Car Platform

The foundation of the AI co-pilot lies in NVIDIA's AI car platform. This platform comprises the Drive PX computer, the DriveWorks operating system, and the MapWorks API. NVIDIA has designed this platform to handle the immense computational demands of self-driving cars and ensure the necessary performance and responsiveness required for safe driving.

The Drive PX Computer

The Drive PX computer serves as the Core of the AI car platform. It processes the vast amount of data collected by the car's sensors, analyzes it using advanced AI algorithms, and enables real-time decision-making. The Drive PX computer delivers the necessary computing power to execute complex AI tasks swiftly and accurately.

The DriveWorks Operating System

To streamline the integration and operation of the AI car platform, NVIDIA developed the DriveWorks operating system. This operating system provides the necessary software framework for running AI algorithms, managing sensor data, and facilitating communication between various components of the platform. DriveWorks ensures the seamless operation of the AI co-pilot and other AI-driven features.

MapWorks API: Interaction with Mapping Companies

MapWorks API acts as a vital interface between the AI car platform and mapping companies worldwide. NVIDIA collaborates with leading mapping companies like Baidu, TomTom, Zenrin, and HERE to Gather accurate and up-to-date mapping data. This collaboration assists in creating HD maps, synchronizing live maps, and continuously updating the mapping information necessary for self-driving cars.

10. Partnership with Baidu: Mapping China

Recognizing the importance of mapping in achieving global self-driving capabilities, NVIDIA partnered with Baidu, the leading mapping company in China. Baidu's extensive mapping of China, coupled with NVIDIA's AI car platform, ensures that self-driving cars can navigate the intricacies of China's roads with high confidence. This collaboration brings the vision of the AI co-pilot one step closer to reality.

11. Partnership with TomTom: Mapping Europe

Expanding its partnerships, NVIDIA joined forces with TomTom, a prominent mapping company in Europe. This collaboration aims to develop accurate HD maps and synchronize live maps for self-driving cars across Europe. By leveraging TomTom's mapping expertise and NVIDIA's AI car platform, the AI co-pilot can navigate European roads with precision and situational awareness.

12. Partnership with Zenrin: Mapping Japan

Japan presents unique challenges and complexities for self-driving cars due to its dense population and intricate road networks. NVIDIA recognized the need for comprehensive mapping in Japan and partnered with Zenrin, the leading mapping company in the country. Zenrin's extensive mapping capabilities, combined with NVIDIA's AI car platform, enable the AI co-pilot to navigate Japan's roads safely and efficiently.

13. Partnership with HERE: Mapping Collaboration

Continuing its commitment to global mapping collaboration, NVIDIA established a partnership with HERE, a renowned mapping company. With access to HERE's mapping data and expertise, NVIDIA enhances the mapping capabilities of its AI car platform. This partnership facilitates the creation of accurate and up-to-date maps, ensuring self-driving cars have the necessary information to operate seamlessly.

14. Conclusion

The AI co-pilot represents a significant leap forward in leveraging AI technology to enhance safety and driver awareness on the road. By combining surround perception, internal car perception, and advanced AI algorithms, NVIDIA's AI car platform adds an extra layer of protection and assistance to drivers. With strategic partnerships with mapping companies worldwide, the vision of self-driving cars driven by AI co-pilots becomes more attainable.

Highlights:

• The AI co-pilot empowers cars to drive autonomously while providing AI-driven support and awareness.
• Surround perception enables the AI co-pilot to detect potential dangers and alert the driver.
• Internal car perception allows the AI co-pilot to monitor drivers and passengers, ensuring their safety and well-being.
• Facial recognition, head tracking, gaze tracking, and lip-reading enable the AI co-pilot to understand and respond to the driver's needs.
• NVIDIA's AI car platform comprises the Drive PX computer, the DriveWorks operating system, and the MapWorks API.
• Partnerships with Baidu, TomTom, Zenrin, and HERE enhance mapping capabilities for self-driving cars worldwide.

FAQ:

Q: How does the AI co-pilot ensure driver safety? A: The AI co-pilot utilizes advanced algorithms and sensors to provide real-time alerts, monitor driver focus, and even intervene in case of driver fatigue or distraction.

Q: Can the AI co-pilot understand multiple languages? A: Yes, the AI co-pilot leverages natural language processing and can understand spoken commands in various languages.

Q: How accurate is the facial recognition technology in the AI co-pilot? A: NVIDIA's deep learning facial recognition networks achieve human-level accuracy, ensuring precise identification of individuals inside and outside the vehicle.

Q: Will the AI co-pilot be compatible with different AI assistants? A: Yes, the AI co-pilot integrates seamlessly with AI assistants like Shield and Google Assistant, providing drivers and passengers with the ability to interact with the car using voice commands.

Q: How does the MapWorks API contribute to the AI co-pilot's functionality? A: The MapWorks API enables synchronization with mapping companies, enabling self-driving cars to access accurate and up-to-date mapping information for safe navigation.

Q: Can the AI co-pilot be retrofitted into existing cars? A: The AI co-pilot relies on NVIDIA's AI car platform and is designed to be integrated into new vehicles. Retrofitting existing cars may require significant modifications.