Toyota has demonstrated a concept vehicle which features artificial intelligence that “grows with the driver”.
The appropriately named Concept-i is said to offer an “immersive” AI system which anticipates drivers’ requirements and “inspires their imaginations and improves their lives”.
The AI system is nicknamed “Yui” and is likely to feature in Toyota’s other cars going forward.
Toyota has been investing a lot of money into researching new technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems.
Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute says his division has hired more than 100 people and plans to hire 100 more this year to continue making progress on its development goals.
Pratt says TRI’s mission is focused on AI and includes four goals:
- First, to greatly enhance vehicle safety and some day create a car incapable of causing a crash.
- Second, to greatly increase mobility access… for those who cannot drive.
- Third, to heavily invest in robotics… to move people not just across town… but in their home… from room to room.
- And finally, to accelerate discovery in materials science by applying techniques from artificial intelligence and machine learning.
However, he says full autonomous driving is still a long way off.
“None of us in the automobile or IT industries are close to achieving true level 5 autonomy.
It will take many years of machine learning and many more miles than anyone has logged of both simulated and real-world testing to achieve the perfection required for Level 5 autonomy.”
Level 5 is Toyota’s term for a level of autonomy it also calls “Chauffeur” level, meaning the car can perfectly well drive itself in just the way a human can and no help from the in-car human is required.
