Volkswagen has announced that it will establish its own artificial intelligence laboratory, reflecting the car industry's growing ambitions to adopt this technology.
The German automaker said in a press release that its new artificial intelligence laboratory will serve as a center of excellence and an incubator that connects global networks to conduct proof-of-concepts for innovative automotive technologies.
AI labs are research and development centers that research and create breakthroughs in the field of artificial intelligence, such as OpenAI, in which Microsoft has invested billions of dollars, and DeepMind, which Google acquired in 2014.
Volkswagen plans to apply innovations from its artificial intelligence laboratory to its cars to make them smart.
“We want to offer our customers real added value through artificial intelligence,” said Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen and Porsche Group. Our goal is to connect digital ecosystems outside the vehicle to create a better product experience.
The company does not plan to build production models, but it intends to negotiate with its partners to obtain a license to use artificial intelligence technology in their cars. Volkswagen did not identify any potential partners.
Some of the AI solutions the lab is exploring include improving electric vehicle charging, predictive vehicle maintenance and connecting vehicles to customers' homes through internet-connected devices, the automaker said.
The company also announced that it is exploring the use of artificial intelligence for voice recognition in cars.
This news comes at a time when other automakers are pushing artificial intelligence to improve technological capabilities and make cars smarter.
French automaker DS began integrating ChatGPT into its cars late last year, while Mercedes and Microsoft began testing ChatGPT support in cars as early as June 2023.
Meanwhile, Chinese company BYD has launched a smart car system equipped with artificial intelligence to compete in advanced technologies such as automatic parking.
The opening of Volkswagen's artificial intelligence laboratory reflects the ambitions of the automaker, which has established or invested in artificial intelligence research units.
The move could make Volkswagen more autonomous and independent from external AI programs from tech giants such as Microsoft, Apple, Google and Amazon.
Volkswagen has expanded its work in the field of artificial intelligence after previously announcing the integration of ChatGPT into its cars, and the automaker is relying on OpenAI as a technology partner rather than its own technology.
The German company could define the future of the type of artificial intelligence it uses by building an artificial intelligence laboratory, although it may have difficulty competing with the technological level of advanced research laboratories such as OpenAI.