- Automated tools catch 10 times as many problems as before on vehicle software.
- GM uses AI to increase uptime and improve efficiency in its production facilities.
- Camera-based AI systems continuously check equipment and components.
General Motors has integrated Artificial Intelligence tools in production, to improve quality control and assist in plant equipment inspections while ensuring that vehicle software is glitch-free.
The company’s centralized testing and validation process claims to ensure that software works correctly at the launch of a new model, eliminating potential glitches in the code that could cause costly delays.
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GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, has 300 test benches running simulations on new infotainment systems. Automotive News reports that the benches are controlled by eight engineers, with AI software ensuring they operate around the clock. GM officials claim that the automated tool catches 10 times as many problems as before.
Besides the AI tool that checks on software, GM also uses cameras, sensors, and analytics to monitor manufacturing equipment. The system collects 165 million images per day and has the ability to predict failures before they interrupt vehicle production, effectively increasing the uptime of the facility.
Furthermore, a tool called Spark Eyes inspects weld quality in body shops, with other camera-based systems evaluating parts and looking for inconsistencies before they are installed on a vehicle.
AI can also be used to improve production efficiency, by testing out the ergonomics of different configurations and assisting in choosing the right layout. According to Abdul Bazzi, Vice President of Software & Services Quality, a non-optimized assembly process often leads to quality problems.
During GM’s Investors Day, Dave Richardson, Senior Vice President of Software and Services Engineering said: “Artificial intelligence will fundamentally change the world in ways that we can’t fully imagine now. But at GM, it’s already influencing how we make vehicles, through the way we test, certify and move with speed and excellence.”
JP Clausen, Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, joined GM in April 2024, after working for Google, Tesla, and Lego. Clausen believes we are “only scratching the surface” of AI’s potential, adding that the new systems make assembly operations more competitive.
