BMW launches AI pilot project to catch vehicle defects early

As the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) reach nearly every industry, the automotive sector is keeping up, including the manufacturers of the popular BMW vehicles, which have recently piloted an AI project to detect car flaws before they hit the road.

Indeed, the company has launched a pilot project called ‘GenAI4Q’ at BMW Group Plant Regensburg and it consists of an AI system and learning-based analysis tool for customized quality checks in vehicle assembly, the carmaker said in a press release on April 28.

How BMW’s AI pilot project works

Specifically, the AI analyzes not just vehicle data, but massive amounts of other information, such as model and equipment variants, as well as real-time production data for each specific vehicle, recognizing patterns and correlations to automatically determine the scope of the inspection.

Then, the AI system, developed in collaboration with Munich startup Datagon AI, organizes it all intelligently in the correct order within a smartphone app, where it has additional functions, such as a microphone for voice recording, as well as speech recognition and transcription using standardized coding.

As it happens, the plant in Germany will deploy the AI platform to deliver tailored inspection recommendations for about 1,400 vehicles assembled every day, and its director Armin Ebner explained what it means for the future of BMW manufacturing processes:

“The use of artificial intelligence supports the digital transformation of BMW Group production towards an intelligently connected factory – for example, we are using AI for quality control in vehicle assembly. In this way, we are optimizing our production processes and creating added value for our products and, ultimately, for our customers.”

According to Rüdiger Römich, who is responsible for Test Floor and Finish in Regensburg’s vehicle assembly, no two cars produced are alike, and the company’s AI tool “generates an individual inspection catalogue for each specific customer vehicle.”

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time that BMW is deploying AI. Late last year, the vehicle manufacturer rolled out its technology to enhance the safety and wellbeing of its car owners, by using specialized sensors that can analyze cardiovascular risks such as heart attacks and strokes for early intervention.

Featured image courtesy of BMW Group website and press release.