Cars could be designed by computers and advanced software instead of humans in the next decade, according to Mercedes-Benz executives.
Mercedes-Benz design chief Gordon Wagener next to the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven concept. He says artificial intelligence (AI) could make car designers obsolete in 10 years - Photo: Mercedes-Benz
In the context of rapidly developing technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a trend, but also causes many people to worry.
Especially for those in creative jobs, the fear of losing their jobs to AI is increasingly present. However, is AI really capable of designing a car for a famous car company?
Will AI replace car designers?
Mercedes-Benz's global design director, Gorden Wagener, in an interview with ABC News, said that AI is not there yet.
But he predicts that in the next 10 years, AI will take over the majority of car design work, thereby replacing most designers.
"We are working with AI. The biggest problem is to select the good 1% from the remaining 99%. But AI is getting better and better," he said.
“AI is going to radically change the way we design. I think in 10 years, most of the design work will be done by AI and that will make designers obsolete. My successor will be a machine and it will be much cheaper than paying me [laughs],” he added.
AI promises to revolutionize much of the auto industry - Illustration: Mercedes-Benz
Although he was joking, perhaps there was a hint of worry hidden in Mr. Wagener's laughter.
So how can AI, a tool that still struggles with simple tasks, create a car that someone would be willing to pay for?
The answer, says Wagener, is quantity. Asking a robot to repeat a task until it achieves the desired result may be less expensive than hiring a person with a degree. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the resulting product will be better.
AI is just a mirror of the past
Mr Wagener's views contrast with those shared by Maserati's design director, Klaus Busse.
While there’s no denying that AI promises to shake up many industries, it remains to be seen whether it can design a viable car with its own personality. Pictured is Klaus Busse, Maserati’s design chief, at the launch of the new 2023 GranTurismo in Rome, Italy. Photo: CarExpert
“With AI, I can design 50 Maseratis while enjoying an espresso,” Busse admits.
However, he does not think AI is the optimal solution: "Right now, AI cannot see the future, it is just a mirror of everything found on the internet. It is a measure of everything that has been created before, and at the same time adds a certain level of probability to come up with things that I might like."
“So we are using AI for certain tools, but I don’t think AI is the solution. It’s just another tool and like other techniques used in car design, it even requires an extremely high level of autonomy,” he concluded.
Maybe humans can still take over the management part… until AI can do it too.
In the same interview, Mr. Wagener said that Mercedes-Benz will continue to produce cars with physical control systems in the near future. Because creating fully autonomous cars is still extremely expensive and still like " science fiction".
Asked if Mercedes-Benz would ever produce a car without a steering wheel or gearshift, Wagener said: "Maybe at some point, but I don't see it in the near future. We will always have a steering wheel… at least in the near future. With increasing autonomy, cars become more of a living space. The car of the future is not a smartphone on wheels, but a 'smart home' on wheels."
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/design-director-of-mercedes-benz-noi-10-nam-nua-ong-se-bi-ai-thay-the-20250227214345798.htm
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