How Augmented Reality is revolutionizing the automotive industry

Published on: April 27, 2017 / Updated on: September 4, 2018 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

Source: Shutterstock

As part of the digitized Industry 4.0, the automotive sector is increasingly relying on augmented reality (AR) technologies. The reason is obvious: the German automotive industry is among the most advanced sectors in Germany when it comes to digitalization. As in many industries, AR is currently used primarily for marketing and sales purposes. Brand communication, in particular, offers a wide range of applications for AR, as interactive experience environments allow for highly engaging presentations of content, evoking emotions in potential customers. Applications range from virtual 3D renderings of the desired vehicle using AR glasses to simulated test drives. Furthermore, the user is directly integrated into the concept through interaction. This allows manufacturers to create entirely new virtual car worlds and driving experiences during product launches. Beyond marketing, AR also offers manufacturers diverse applications in the industrial sector.

Product development

Digital model making (Source: Volkswagen)

AR offers multifaceted possibilities in design, model creation, and material selection: shapes, designs, and colors can be vividly displayed and modified in any number without the need to manually create a new model each time. At Mercedes-Benz, this supports engineers in visualizing their developments by allowing them, for example, to virtually "install" different engine variants into an existing chassis. In this way, they can simulate how a planned engine will fit into the car's engine compartment. This saves designers research and development costs and reduces the time required.

production

The automotive industry is also using augmented reality-supported processes in production , BMW using this technology for stud welding on test vehicles since last year. Previously, this was done manually, taking several days per car. Now, employees equipped with data helmets and cameras are shown the individual welding points on the vehicles via AR visualization, halving the time required. A challenge for wider use is markerless tracking, as the cars still need to be marked to be usable by the AR systems. What is feasible for test vehicles seems unrealistic for series production.

Kolbus, a manufacturer of customized industrial products for the automotive industry among others, is also using augmented reality in a pilot project in manual production. There, employees are shown their next work steps via millimeter-precisely positioned overlays. Faulty production steps are detected, thus preventing costly scrap.

Besides production, augmented reality supports plant planning in the automotive industry, as AR allows machines or buildings to be virtually superimposed onto real-world environments or material flows to be simulated. All of this works location-independently, at least during the planning phase, which is why expensive personnel and travel costs can be saved when building a new plant in Brazil or China.

quality assurance

Another practical application is quality assurance , as AR tools can be used to analyze manufacturing processes and identify faulty production processes early on. Problem-solving can also be facilitated with AR, as the necessary steps for improvement can be virtually illustrated in the form of AR tutorials. This simplified approach is fast and requires no expert assistance, which is particularly useful for globally operating automotive companies with their worldwide distribution of factories.

AR can also be used to extend quality control to receiving or supplier locations. Pre-products or externally manufactured parts can be clearly inspected in real time without requiring an expert team to be on-site. This is particularly relevant since around two-thirds of the costs resulting from quality defects can be attributed to supplier errors. On-site checks thus help with the early detection of defects. In the automotive industry, these virtual checks therefore reduce costs, identify problems earlier, and accelerate repair work.

Vehicle service

AR support during maintenance (Source: Shutterstock)

Regular car maintenance largely consists of routine steps. AR enables the creation of interactive instructions that illustrate and explain the upcoming work steps to the service technician, ensuring they have all relevant information readily available. The electronics company Bosch developed a system specifically for car maintenance called "CAP Automotive": In the workshop, the mechanic points an AR camera at the vehicle's engine, and the defective parts are then color-coded on a monitor, along with their part numbers and installation instructions. All of this accelerates and refines vehicle maintenance, thereby reducing costs for both companies and customers.

outlook

Besides its application in automotive manufacturers' operational processes, augmented reality (AR) will soon directly benefit customers, for example, in the form of virtual cockpits. Many manufacturers are pushing ahead with the development of "smart" windscreens, which provide drivers with information tailored to their individual preferences. This includes speed data, which is already common in vehicles. Navigation functions, warnings, and settings for radio or telephone can also be displayed on the "virtual windscreen." A major advantage: the information is integrated directly into the driver's field of vision, allowing them to keep their eyes on the road at all times. Distractions from driving caused by poorly positioned displays will thus be a thing of the past. In the future, a smart driving assistant could recognize the ideal line of travel and alert the driver with overlays, or a camera system could identify and warn of hazards even before the driver sees them.