Japanese automaker Toyota has recently announced a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) technology that can aid its vehicle designing process. Developed by the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the generative AI tool is engineered to assist in the early stages of designing new vehicles. By simply incorporating initial constraints and stylistic prompts such as sleek, SUV-like, and modern, designers can request the AI to generate several initial design concepts.
However, Toyota’s new AI technology is not supposed to replace the company’s human designers by any means. Rather, the generative tool will be utilized to generate multiple early concepts, incorporating aspects such as drag and chassis dimensions, refining them based on successive iterations and inputs provided by human designers.
Unlike typical text-to-image generators, the generative AI tools used in Toyota are equipped to deal with the complex engineering and safety considerations involved in automotive designing, leveraging state-of-the-art futuristic AI capabilities with Toyota’s traditional engineering strengths. Avinash Balachandran, the director of TRI’s human interactive driving division, affirmed that they are combining Toyota’s robust engineering capabilities with modern generative AI techniques.
The incorporation of AI into the design process for automobile companies could potentially allow them to produce electric vehicles more quickly and efficiently. Toyota realized the relevance of aerodynamic drag in the extension of electric vehicle ranges, thus hinting at the importance it will play in future Toyota vehicle designs.
It isn’t the first time that AI has been used in car manufacturing. Toyota’s rival company BMW has also recently delved into AI techniques in its product designs. Nonetheless, given its worldwide reputation for its engineering expertise, Toyota’s integration of AI in its vehicle designing process could allow it to leverage its AI tools and amplify the creative power of its designers and engineers, keeping pace with ever-increasing competition while maintaining its market stance.
