MG Motors introduced India’s first Level 1 autonomous car – the Gloster. And now, the Chinese-owned British car brand is again making history by introducing the mid-size SUV – the Astor which happens to be the country’s first Level 2 autonomous car with its own in-built AI digital assistant. The company is also keen to further build on this and develop the Car-as-a-platform or CAAP concept where the car will serve as a platform to provide services and other features.
MG said they are harnessing the latest advancements in the field of AI and allied technologies to allow for the development of services and subscriptions that can take care of the customer’s on-demand-in-car requirements. The AI assistant which has made it to the mid-size Astor SUV has been designed by the American firm Star Design.
Among the unique features of the AI digital assistant present in the Astor happens to be its ability to mimic the human voice while also exhibiting human-like emotions as well. It is also designed to offer information on almost anything you throw at it thanks to Wikipedia. All of this provides for enough resources to engage with the in-car occupants who also have the option to customize the services as per their personal requirements and preferences.
Meanwhile, allowing for autonomous operations is a series of mid-range radars and multi-purpose cameras placed at strategic points on the car that provides the driver with real-time information for an enhanced situational awareness. All of the camera and radar feeds as well as input from other sensors power the array of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) the car comes with.
These include Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Headlamp Control (IHC), Rear Drive Assist (RDA), and Speed Assist System amongst others. All of these take the load off the driver and makes driving a lot safer and pleasure-inducing.
Showcasing the CAAP concept as one with an almost endless opportunity to drive an entire ecosystem offering a host of subscriptions and services. Those include the likes of MapMyIndia for maps and navigation while connectivity is provided by Jio. Then there also is the Blockchain-protected vehicle digital passport by KoineArth which is first seen on any vehicle anywhere in the world.
Music services is brought about by JioSaavn while there also is the head unit powered by Park+ that helps in reserving a parking slot. The latter again is an industry-first feature with no other vehicle sold in India able to offer anything of this sort.
Other details of the car including its launch date or pricing info are being kept under wraps.
