By Adam Pease
Google and Renault Announce Software-Defined Vehicle
Google has just announced an expansion of its partnership with the auto manufacturer Renault Group, which will focus on the development of a new car that doubles as a software platform.
The partnership aims to leverage AI to create a digital twin that empowers drivers with valuable real-time information. This blog discusses the announcement and its implications for Google and the smart vehicle sector.
Are Digital Twins the Future of Cars?
Renault has worked with Google in the past, announcing plans in 2018 to incorporate Google’s OS into its vehicles for maps and other functionalities.
What makes Google’s current partnership with Renault special is its emphasis on developing the new vehicle as a ‘digital twin.’
A digital twin is a virtual model that captures all the important qualities, characteristics, and data that would be relevant to users of a physical product. Digital twins have been important for the evolution of IoT infrastructure, which requires transparency into the data of digital assets.
In this case, Google hopes to use AI to create a simulated vehicle that will monitor the car for maintenance needs and other diagnostics, as well as construct a customized vehicle profile that fits the needs and preferences of different drivers.
This might range from flagging favorite destinations, keeping track of where electric vehicles can be charged, or even incorporating insurance features into real-time vehicle monitoring.
For drivers, one of the main draws may be the idea that AI could detect whether a vehicle needs to be serviced in advance of an accident or breakdown, promoting safety and potentially saving cost.
Will Google Shake Up the Smart Car Industry?
In their project to build an AI-powered smart car Google obviously runs up against the market dominance of Tesla, which has set the standard for software-enabled vehicles. It remains to be seen whether Google’s bid for the sector will pan out, but there is certainly a growing demand for smart vehicles that have the potential to integrate with other consumer technologies.
Factors running in Google’s favor might include its experience developing operating systems, and the quantity and quality of data that Google can link into its driving experience.
Google has had a number of automotive partnerships in the past, including GM, Ford, BMW, Honda, and Volvo, but this alliance goes deeper.
At the same time, Google’s own internal culture is rumored to reward innovative ideas more than staying the course, which has made some skeptical after several exciting Google products have been announced and abandoned. Nevertheless, the partnership with a reliable automaker may help it move the product to market.
Another important consideration for smart vehicles is the availability of chips, and the pressure that the rising use of intelligent consumer electronics have placed on global supply chains.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the chip supply chain was put under immense stress. Wait times for new Tesla buyers have been notoriously lengthy. It may be that the adoption of smart vehicles will be constrained by the chip market’s vulnerability to disruption.
Bottom Line
By deepening its partnership with Renault Google extends its plays for the lucrative smart car market. It’s too early to tell whether the project to build a digital twin will fizzle out, but if Google and Renault follow through, they could begin to crack Tesla’s dominance in the space.
RELATED BlOGS
 |
 |
 |
Getty Images Foreshadows Legal Battle Over AI Content |
NVIDIA Pushes Metaverse at SIGGRAPH 2022 |
Google LaMDA: Is Sentience in The Eye of The Beholder? |
