This article is the first in a six-part series on the topic of AI assistance in the vehicle interior. We shed light on what the motivation behind AI assistants in the vehicle interior is and where the challenges lie in order to implement intuitive, smart and useful AI assistants in the vehicle interior. For a quick overview, here are links to all arcticles in this series:
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (1/6): What is already possible today and what is a vision?
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (2/6): Technical challenges
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (3/6): machine vision as a key technology
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (4/6): intuitive, multimodal and proactive
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (5/6): market prospects and business models
- The AI assistant in the vehicle interior (6/6): Fraunhofer as your innovation partner
The automotive industry is on the verge of a profound transformation: AI-supported assistance systems in the vehicle interior are increasingly becoming the central interface between humans and vehicles. However, in order to successfully develop these technologies and bring them to market, research partners with expertise in AI, computer vision and human-AI interaction are needed. This is precisely where the Fraunhofer Institute comes into play.
Fraunhofer: Independent research for industry
For over a decade, we have been researching innovative technologies for vehicle interiors and have established ourselves as a neutral and reliable partner for industry. Numerous research and development projects testify to our experience: www.incarin.de, www.karli-projekt. de, https://projekt-salsa.de/, www.www.projekt-pakos.de, https://www.iosb.fraunhofer.de/de/projekte-produkte/initiative.html and many bilateral research contracts with OEM and Tier1. Our strength lies in the combination of in-depth scientific know-how and application-oriented research. For example, we operate a modular occupant monitoring system that we use to capture the situation in the vehicle interior using a camera (https://www.iosb.fraunhofer.de/de/projekte-produkte/advanced-occupant-monitoring-system.html). We support companies with benchmarks, proof of concepts, AI data collection, user studies and management demos, from the initial concept idea to prototyping and implementation in production vehicles.
Our research areas include:
- Computer vision for occupant detection and interaction control
- Multimodal human-AI interaction for intuitive user concepts
- AI-supported ergonomics and safety analyses
- Privacy-compliant edge AI solutions
Why companies rely on Fraunhofer
1. Broad experience with industry partners
Our collaboration with companies such as BMW, VW, Audi, Cariad, MAN, Bosch or Volkswagen has shown: Every organization has its own challenges. We do not offer standard solutions, but develop customized concepts together with our partners that meet both technical and regulatory requirements.
2. Access to state-of-the-art infrastructure
Fraunhofer not only provides companies with know-how, but also with state-of-the-art development environments:
- Seat boxes and driving simulators for evaluating AI assistance systems
- Research vehicles for realistic testing
- Data annotation and AI training with specially curated data sets
3. Future-proofing through scientific expertise
The market for AI assistance systems is developing rapidly. While many competitors are marketing short-term solutions, we focus on sustainable, future-oriented research. Our experts develop algorithms that will still be valid in ten years – transparent, explainable and with a high level of user acceptance.
Together into the future: innovation through cooperation
The development of intelligent vehicle interiors requires interdisciplinary collaboration. By working closely with automotive manufacturers, suppliers and technology companies, we are shaping the mobility of tomorrow. Whether it’s integrating speech models, optimizing computer vision algorithms or developing new interaction concepts, Fraunhofer offers the ideal platform for innovation.
Let’s shape the future of vehicle assistance together. We are ready to partner with you in research and development to transform your visions into marketable solutions with our expertise.