By Artificial Intelligence (AI) is proving to be a transformative force for the automotive industry, not only for the development and production of vehicles, but also for the improvement and safety of the workplace. AI can help increase factory efficiency and reduce occupational hazards, by enabling smart automation, data analysis, and human-machine interaction.
According to a report by Automotive World, AI can help address some of the challenges and opportunities faced by the automotive workplace, such as:
- Ergonomic injuries, which are common and costly in the automotive sector, and which can be prevented or reduced by using AI-based tools, such as sensor-free video processing software and wearable devices, that can monitor and evaluate workers’ movements and postures, and provide real-time feedback and recommendations.
- Operational safety, which can be enhanced by using AI-based systems, such as audio headsets and voice assistants, that can deliver critical alerts and information to workers, without distracting them from their tasks or overwhelming them with visual notifications.
- Production efficiency, which can be improved by using AI-based solutions, such as predictive maintenance and quality control, that can detect and prevent faults and defects, and optimize the performance and the lifespan of the machines and the products.
AI can also create new opportunities and challenges for the automotive workforce
AI can also create new opportunities and challenges for the automotive workforce, as it can change the nature and the demand of the jobs and the skills in the automotive sector. AI can create new jobs and roles, such as data scientists, AI engineers, and human-machine interface designers, that require advanced technical and analytical skills. AI can also augment and enhance existing jobs and roles, such as operators, technicians, and managers, that require more cognitive and social skills.
According to a study by McKinsey, AI can affect up to 50% of the automotive workforce by 2030, and can create up to 20% more jobs than it displaces, depending on the level and the pace of the adoption of AI. However, the study also warns that AI can create a skills gap and a skills mismatch, as the current and the future workers may not have the adequate or the relevant skills to perform the new or the changed tasks.
Therefore, the study recommends that the automotive industry and the stakeholders, such as the governments, the educators, and the workers, should invest and collaborate in the reskilling and the upskilling of the workforce, and in the development and the implementation of the policies and the practices that can support the transition and the adaptation of the workers to the AI-enabled workplace.
AI can help the automotive industry achieve its sustainability goals
AI can help the automotive industry achieve its sustainability goals, by reducing the environmental impact and the carbon footprint of the production and the operation of the vehicles. AI can help reduce the energy consumption and the waste generation of the factories, by optimizing the processes and the resources, and by enabling the circular economy and the recycling of the materials. AI can also help reduce the emissions and the fuel consumption of the vehicles, by enhancing the efficiency and the performance of the engines and the batteries, and by enabling the connected and the autonomous driving.
According to a report by PwC, AI can help the automotive industry reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 60 million tons per year by 2025, and by up to 230 million tons per year by 2030, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of Belgium and the Netherlands combined. The report also estimates that AI can help the automotive industry save up to $215 billion per year by 2025, and up to $790 billion per year by 2030, in terms of the operational costs and the environmental benefits.
The report suggests that the automotive industry and the stakeholders, such as the regulators, the customers, and the suppliers, should embrace and accelerate the adoption and the deployment of AI, and should align and coordinate their actions and their incentives, to maximize the potential and the value of AI for the industry and the society.