Self-driving vehicles

One of the most ground-breaking applications AI innovation is autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, the concept that was once merely a sci-fi fantasy, has now become a practical reality. Although people were skeptical of this technology during its developmental stages, driverless vehicles have already made their entry into the transportation sector.

Autonomous taxis have already started operating in Tokyo. However for safety reasons, as of now, the driver sits in the car to take control of the taxi during an emergency situation. According to the maker of this autonomous taxi, the technology will result in reduced cost for taxi services, which can be helpful in increasing the public transportation modes in remote areas.

Similarly, US logistics are embracing autonomous trucks to reap numerous benefits from it. According to a Mckinsey report, 65 percent of goods are transported via trucks globally. And with autonomous trucks coming into the picture, the maintenance and administration expenses will come down by about 45 percent.

For now, a majority of companies are still running their pilot projects, striving to make self-driving vehicles flawless and safe for passengers. As this technology evolves, self-driving vehicles will gain mass confidence and become mainstream in the consumer realm.

Traffic management

Another transportation problem that people face on a daily basis is traffic congestion. AI is now set to solve this issue too.

Sensors and cameras embedded everywhere on roads collect the large voluminous amount of traffic details. This data is then sent to the cloud, where analysis and traffic pattern revelation will be done with big data analytics and an AI-powered system. Valuable insights like traffic predictions can be gleaned from data processing. Commuters can be provided with important details like traffic predictions, accidents, or road blockages. Besides, people can be notified about the shortest route to their destination, helping them travel without any hassles of traffic. This way, AI can be used to not only reduce unwanted traffic but also improve road safety and reduce wait times.

Delay predictions

Another burning problem faced by air transport today is flight delays. The estimated costs due to flight delays are 39 billion dollars in the US, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Along with financial loss, flights delay negatively impact passenger’s flying experience. Negative experience while flying can undermine a transport company’s value, which can result in increased customer churn rate. To overcome these issues, AI comes to the air transport industry's rescue here.

Leveraging data lake technology and computer vision, the industry can offer exceptional service to passengers in cutting down passenger’s wait times and enhancing their journey experience. As anything from bad weather to some technical glitch can cause flights to be delayed, it is important to update flight details to passengers in advance to get rid of unnecessary waiting times. With the help of computer vision systems, continuous monitoring of the airplanes can be carried out, eliminating the unplanned downtime. Besides, AI and machine learning components will process real-time airplane data, historical records, and also the weather information. On-the-spot computation will help in the revelation of hidden patterns, which can help the air transport industry glean useful insights on other possibilities that can cause flight delays and cancellations. This data can be forwarded to passengers, which can help them plan their schedule accordingly.

Drone taxis

One of the most exciting and innovative AI applications in transportation is a drone taxi. Pilotless helicopters present a unique solution to combat the carbon emissions, eliminate traffic congestion, and reduce the need for expensive infrastructure construction plans. Besides, drone taxis will help people reach their destination much sooner, minimizing their commute time.

Further, rising populations have put city planners under high pressure to ensure smart urban planning and build infrastructure without compromising on declining resources. Drone taxis can indeed be the real recipe to solve all the concerns that these city planners are striving to deal with. The recent demonstration of an autonomous aerial vehicle in China, where 17 passengers experienced smart air mobility for the first time, is a great indicator of similar future applications.

AI has been one of the most astounding technological innovations of humankind, indeed. However, despite every amazing invention we have seen until now, it is important to note that we have only scratched just the surface of AI and a lot more is yet to be explored. The applications of AI in transportation mentioned above showcase just a glimpse of possibilities and opportunities that the technology can offer. Imagine how amazing and exciting the future driven by AI would be!

source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2019/07/26/how-ai-can-transform-the-transportation-industry/?ss=ai-big-data#285928564964