MotorTrend unpacks the future for automotive AI - and picks out Potential
14 August 2024
Our Terrain Intelligence technology has been described by the world’s largest automotive media brand as “a virtual spotter who won't complain about having to go wade through the muck.” Spot on.
“Artificial intelligence is doing its damndest to change everything, and what you drive is no exception,” writes veteran automotive journalist Tim Stevens in this Motortrend article.
First launched in 1949, Motortrend is now the world’s largest automotive media brand. Featuring print, online, social media and TV properties, the company’s brands reach audiences in excess of 7M in print and a truly staggering 2BN online. Its YouTube channel alone has 6.7M subscribers. Many regard MotorTrend as the definitive automotive destination.
So when the publication examines the future of the automotive sector, people pay attention.
“What is new is taking some of those same concepts and applying them to off-road motoring.”
“AI technologies are progressing at an incredible rate. Meanwhile, the companies developing them are seeing investment of the sorts not seen since the early days of the cryptocurrency boom.”
Introducing Potential’s technology, Tim draws on autonomous vehicles to make a comparison.
“By now, you've surely heard plenty about self-driving cars and how they'll soon whisk you to work and back while you catch up on a little sleep, technology that's perpetually just a few years away. Self-driving cars are generally trained using ML exhibiting some elements of AI, but the basic concept of self-driving is hardly new or novel.”
There’s a “but” coming: “What is new, however, is taking some of those same concepts and applying them to off-road motoring,” Tim writes, before pointing out Potential as the pioneers.
“The idea isn’t necessarily to hand over control but to rely on the system to get better guidance about the terrain around you. ”
Tim highlights our Terrain Intelligence technology, which is primarily intended to assist drivers but could of course be integrated into autonomous vehicle perception stacks too.
“Potential is developing what it calls Terrain Intelligence, which relies on a fleet of sensors to view the world around it. Unlike on-road autonomy, there aren't any lane markings to follow or rules of the road to obey. Things also tend to be a little less predictable.”
One of our key objectives is to enable adventure for everyone, not replace drivers. Tim astutely notes this: “What's the point of off-roading if you're not driving? The idea isn't necessarily to hand over control but to rely on the system to get better guidance about the terrain around you. Think of it like a virtual spotter who won't complain about having to go wade through the muck.”
The article also comments on our groundbreaking partnership with CFMOTO in the powersports sector, where we’re helping to birth the future of side-by-sides and other recreational off-road vehicles.