Nine ways Artificial Intelligence is making its way into cars

Artificial intelligence (AI) tech underpins the fundamentals of how cars learn to drive. Like Neo in The Matrix, they download new lessons with every over-the-air update. And if another car makes a mistake, they all learn together. Clever stuff, and safer, too. So that’s cool.

'Learning to drive’ really begins at passing your test. Always has. AI-based algorithms are being trained to read human behaviour, including that genius in front who moved to the left of his lane then committed to a lane change without indicating. The future autonomous car will “know” to back off (but will probably not honk or gesticulate quite in the same way you might).

More of us are embracing the use of digital assistants at home. On this side of the pond, however, it’s questionable whether we use them as much in the car. (Anyone remember the failure of Onstar Europe?). Might the proliferation of ChatGPT be enough to (literally) change our tunes?

Sensors are so tiny and in so much and collecting so much data. AI means the data generated is being perpetually analysed, just like Lewis Hamilton on an F1 weekend. Forget basic tyre pressure monitoring, we’re talking about more precise timing for wear and tear – say goodbye to the generic “every 10,000 miles, mate”.

No-human checkouts are pretty controversial. So how weird will it be when your week’s dinner and dishwasher powder rocks up without a driver? Asda and Wayve started autonomous deliveries last year. We’re assured until the Year, cough, ahem, 2174 (approximately) a safety driver and customer assistant will accompany your cheesy crackers and chicken drummers, and kindly empty the boot for you. How very analogue.

Car insurance will get heavily revamped with the use of artificial intelligence. Insurers plan to tap into your vehicle data and your driving behaviour to offer more personalised premiums. And when it comes to claims, they’ll speed up, which should – in theory, at least – save us all money.

Tesla recently announced plans to move into the ride-hailing business. Its AI-obsessed CEO said it would combine the AirBnB model with the Uber model. That means Tesla owners could basically get their cars making money autonomously driving folks around during the day, rather than being lazily parked on a driveway somewhere.

Hyundai Mobis’s Smart Cabin Controller was one of the first comprehensive packages to measure the heart rate, brainwaves, stress levels, posture and temperature of the driver. Deploying AI to make sure you’re not too tired or looking everywhere but the road is another way of using the tech to make the roads safer. Neat.

Since 2011, real-time traffic information (RTTI) has brought more accurate routing to our navigation, gradually working up to the ‘alternative route suggestions’ when congestion or accidents happen. Layering AI with RTTI will improve those services, and in the case of electric car drivers, offer journeys via charge points, based on the way you drive. Any effort to keep us on the move and not sitting in cold/hot, metal boxes on bleak motorway roads is excellent.