The Prototypes column introduces new vehicle concepts and presents visuals from designers who illustrate the ideas. Some are extensions of existing concepts, others new, some production-ready, others far-fetched
The concept
The Perceptor is an artificial-intelligence system designed for your car that is meant to notice your behaviour behind the wheel and adapt the car's features to your preferences. The Perceptor's AI would follow you from vehicle to vehicle and always be there to assist.
The Perceptor’s AI would follow you from vehicle to vehicle and always be there to assist.
The origin of the idea
The inspiration comes from myriad sources – books, TV shows such as Knight Rider and movies such as Interstellar. I wondered how to give customers a unique experience that goes beyond autonomous driving. The result: the Perceptor – a way to reinvent cars by combining AI with a series of technologies.
The inspiration for the concept was pulled from myriad sources, including books, TV shoes, such as Knight Rider, and films such as Interstellar.
How it works
The Perceptor would consist of an AI connected to your car via a cloud-based system. This AI would be able to switch between cars. As such, the AI would follow the user into a new car and it could be used in anything you drive – cars, bikes, helicopters, boats, etc.
The Perceptor's AI would mostly be silent while it learns a user's driving behaviours. The user could tell the device what they want and like, and even explain their driving philosophy – scenic routes, fast routes, favourite drives, toll-road preferences, etc.
Once the device has mapped the user's driving style, reactions and other preferences, it would interact more and provide recommendations based on the user's goals. To be successful, the Perceptor would need to be clever and understand human emotions.
Imagine if it could tell you when to avoid traffic, optimize a new route or help you find free parking. The Perceptor would give you feedback – or it could shut up if you're in a bad mood. You could even use it to confide in and your conversation would remain encrypted and private.
Additionally, the Perceptor would be aware of the car's parts and systems. If, for example, the oil needed to be changed, the AI assistant would ask for permission to drive to the dealership (on its own) while you are working. If parts need to be changed or serviced, it could deal with the technician and send you the quote on your smartphone for quick approval.
The Perceptor would also monitor its driver to detect any condition that rendered the user unfit to drive (such as being under the influence of drugs or alcohol or overly tired) and could step in to drive in such a case. It would be able to alert emergency services in case of a medical situation and drive to the nearest hospital if required.
If the user was dissatisfied with the AI, they could change it and take a different approach. The goal here is to have a more pleasant experience. If you prefer a silent car with no "soul," you could simply buy a car with no Perceptor.
The AI would maintain a constant awareness of the vehicle’s parts and systems, allowing the system to register changes in the car’s functionality and to recommend oil changes and service updates when necessary.
What it's used for
The Perceptor would change the car market forever because it would take us a step beyond the autonomous cars in development today. It could help reduce costs and stress, prevent accidents and even improve the morale of drivers. This would enhance and complement the driving experience.
In addition to keeping an eye on the status of the vehicle, the Perceptor’s AI could also monitor drivers, allowing the car to intervene in medical situations or to prevent impaired driving.
The designer
Abhishek Roy and his team have drawn the car concept representing the Perceptor. Abhishek works in Mumbai for Lunatic Koncepts. He studied at Raffles Design International and designed, among others, the Antipode supersonic aircraft concept and the Silvermoon concept.
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