Automotive Engineering - April 2024 - 20

WCX 2024:
Come for the AI, stay for the optimism
SAE EVENTS FEATURE
Toyota released this
vehicle design sketch
that incorporates
results from TRI's
new generative
AI + optimization
technique.
" TRI believes that AI
has the power to
amplify rather than
replace people. "
" In particular, the audience will learn about how
core Toyota philosophies like jidoka and the concept
of muda continue to be relevant as we think about
how best to incorporate AI into our work. " Muda,
which means " waste " or " uselessness " in Japanese, is
a keyword Toyota uses to remind workers to minimize
things like excess production and inefficient transportation
methods.
" Muda is what we call non-value-added work, work
that doesn't move the needle, " Balachandran said. " I
think AI is going to be a tool that's going to help us focus
on value-added work and reduce muda over time, on
having tools that help people really focus on the things in
their life that add value, things that can add value in society.
And I think AI could help us focus on those things
and create this happier environment for everyone. "
Balachandran said he can fit AI opportunities into
four " big buckets " where AI will disrupt how the industry
builds and sells cars. AI will impact the design
and engineering of vehicles, manufacturing those vehicles,
the vehicle experience itself and, finally, the
bringing those vehicles to market, including sales and
marketing policy.
" AI is going to be hugely disruptive in all these areas, "
he said. " In my talk, I'll actually give specific examples
of how we can think about using AI for the
designing and engineering of cars to make that process
a lot smoother and also, how we can use AI to
help in manufacturing to help workers focus on the
20 April 2024
Qualcomm's efforts with AI starts with the reality that vehicles are now
computing platforms.
parts of their job that they enjoy while reducing muda. Even in the
vehicle experience, [we have to] rethink the way that people and vehicles
work together in order to help you achieve your goals. "
Doug Field, Ford's chief EV, digital and design officer, will give a
third keynote that will also address these and related topics. Field
was not able to preview his presentation in time for publication, but
it will look at similar topics. Field worked as a development engineer
at Ford from 1987 to 1993 and then left to work at Apple, Segway
and Tesla, where he was involved in launching the Model 3. Field returned
to Ford in 2021 and heads a team that works on " scalable
technology platforms to be deployed across Ford global products "
including electric vehicles, digital platforms and software " at startup
speed " inside of Ford.
WCX runs from April 16 through 18 at the Huntington Place in
downtown Detroit. A connected event, the GAMIC Innovation Finals
Competition, will take place on the 15th. General Motors will host a
Hydrotec fuel cell event at WCX on the 17th. Technical session topics
SDVs, low-carbon solutions, and safety and UX technologies.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: XD: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN STUDIO OF TOYOTA; QUALCOMM
Automotive Engineering - April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive Engineering - April 2024
