Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced it’s collaborating with Honda Motor Company to transition the company’s automobiles from hardware-based into software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The Japanese automaker will use its Digital Proving Ground (DPG) platform, a vehicle development environment built on AWS, to help build SDVs.
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By combining AWS compute, generative artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities with Honda’s data lake built on AWS, Honda will accelerate its delivery of new electric vehicle (EV) capabilities and mobility solutions.
Digitally enabled, Cloud-connected vehicles provide opportunities for carmakers like Honda to enhance driving experiences and support their efforts to improve safety, security, efficiency, entertainment, and convenience in existing vehicles with over-the-air (OTA) software updates. SDVs also allow automakers to personalize each vehicle according to drivers’ habits and preferences and perform feature updates that help improve overall capabilities without the need for physical modifications or replacements.
AWS is providing Honda with the scalable, cost-effective infrastructure to develop and test new SDV car models rapidly. The automaker’s Cloud-based DPG platform lets Honda collect data that helps estimate EV driving range, visualizes energy consumption and vehicle performance data, and delivers vehicle software updates. The DPG will also help reduce Honda’s dependence on physical hardware by enabling automotive engineers to design and test cars in the Cloud before they’re built, resulting in faster development timelines and significant cost savings.
Additionally, Honda uses AWS IoT services to assist its efforts to improve vehicle quality, safety, and autonomy by helping to provide continuous software development and updates to vehicles on the road. This connectivity helps Honda to collect, transform, and transfer vehicle data to the DPG platform, allowing them to track EV battery data and schedule preventative maintenance.
Amazon Kinesis Video Streams, a fully managed service for streaming live video from devices, is being employed to help build video processing and analytics applications. This technology under development aims to analyze and store car camera footage, using machine learning to detect abnormal movement outside the vehicle. For example, if implemented, this new feature could alert drivers to take corrective action to help avoid collisions or damage to the vehicle.
Using generative AI to improve EV charging
Honda is further using AWS generative AI services to help develop personalized user experiences. For example, the automaker is developing a new solution that guides EV drivers to optimal charging stations based on current location, remaining battery, charging speed, fees, and proximity to shopping centers.
This new AWS IoT Core solution enables secure two-way communication between internet-connected devices and the cloud. The automaker will use Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale generative AI applications, to recommend the optimal charging station based on a driver’s behavior patterns and preferences. Honda plans to launch this capability in its 0 Series line of EVs, simplifying the search for charging stations and enabling customized charging times, limits, payments, and more.
Filed Under: Charging, Software, Technology News