China hits the gas on AI driving lessons
FOR some students at Chinese driving schools, learning to drive is pretty similar to playing a video game.
At the Guangshen Driving Training Group, one of the biggest driving training schools in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, students check in for practice sessions by scanning a QR code.
Sitting in simulators that resemble old-school racing game arcade cabinets, they navigate realistic 3D simulations of a driving test centre environment – complete with roads, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and even trees and buildings – on large curved screens.
The self-developed artificial intelligence (AI) project, called Lazy Cat, was launched in June last year.
Based on data collected from real test cars, the simulation customises training plans based on users’ performance at each session. Users can also simulate driving along different routes and under various weather conditions.
“We are using technologies to transform traditional training methods, save energy and cut costs in fuel, labour and rent,” said Guangshen general manager Li Zhen.
Guangshen is one of several schools in China’s driver training industry – which was worth 140bil yuan (Rm87.5bil) in 2019, according to the China Highway and Transportation Society – to embrace AI recently.
“Driver training used to be a very traditional industry with not much technology involved,” said Guangshen marketing manager Liu Chuhua. “Now, (AI driver training) is basically a countrywide trend.”
Another driving school in Shenzhen, Carshow Driving Training School, has nine Ai-powered learning centres in different areas of the city.
In September, the company launched an updated version of its simulated cars and robotic driving instructors, or “robocoaches”.
So far, over 5,000 people have graduated from the company’s AI classes, according to local stateowned media Nanfang Daily.
Shanghai-listed Eastern Pioneer Driving School launched an intelligent driving training demonstration based in southwestern China’s Yunnan province in July. The company combined intelligent simulators with VR headsets to offer an immersive learning experience for the demonstration.
“Doing basic training ... via 4D and VR simulators not only reduces the time for real car training and fuel emissions ... but also reduces the operating costs of the entire driving training industry and improves its competitiveness,” Chen Jianyun, the general manager of Eastern Pioneer Driving School, said in a statement on the company’s website.
It is not a coincidence that many of these futuristic driving centres are in city centres, where there is a high population density increasing the potential customer base, but also high rents.
“It is not possible now to open (traditional) training venues in the centre of the city as there is no such big empty space in the city centre,” Li said.
“Even if there is, the rent would be extremely high.”
Rent for land in Shenzhen suburbs has increased from about 10 yuan (RM6.25) per square metre per month a few years ago to about 20 to 30 yuan (RM12.50 to RM18.75) per square metre per month now, she said.
According to Li, about 20 training cars can be used in a 3,000sq m traditional driving centre, whereas Guangshen can fit more than 60 AI driving simulators in several hundred square metres of space, making the hi-tech option much more cost-effective.
Savings in labour and equipment costs are also reasons behind Guangshen’s recent focus on Lazy Cat, Li said.
The simulators cost about 30,000 yuan (RM18,750) to 40,000 yuan (RM25,000) each compared with training cars, which cost around 120,000 yuan (RM75,000), not counting fuel costs.
In addition, two or three employees can staff 14 simulators at the same time, whereas a traditional driving school would need to match the number of driving instructors to its vehicles.
While this saves driving centre operators money, the impact on instructors may not be so positive.
“Ai-backed software and devices will give users a better experience, and it’s a good marketing tool for driver training companies,” said Sun Mingchun, chief economist of Haitong International Securities Group.
“However, this might threaten the livelihood of driving instructors.”
“All driving instructors are very resistant to the AI project because it will replace them,” Li said.
“This is the biggest challenge in the industry, but the advancement of technology is something no one can stop, and it’s not just us who are doing this.”
To be sure, aspiring drivers will still have to practise with real cars before taking their driving tests.
In China, they have to go through four exams before qualifying for a driving licence – two theory tests about traffic rules, basic concepts on vehicles and correct driving habits; one parking and basic driving skills test on a track; and a road test.
Ding Haifeng, one of Lazy Cat’s thousand or so students, said he spent two hours training with the simulator and another 10 hours in a real car before he passed the parking and basic skills test.
He is now practising with the AI simulator again in preparation for the road test.
“I feel it’s exactly like a real car. There is no difference – clutch, throttle, foot brake, hand brake, everything is the same,” the 41-year-old renovation worker said.
“The only bad thing is that when I stare at the screen for a long time, my eyes will be a little tired.”
Guangshen has ambitions to increase the percentage of its students taking Ai-aided classes from fewer than 10% to more than 50% by this year, Li said.
The passing rates for Guangshen students using the AI simulators and those who go through only traditional classes in real cars are currently about the same, Li said.
She added that she was confident the passing rates for Ai-aided students will surpass those following the traditional route over time as the company upgrades its software and technology.
Li said Guangshen is looking into developing robocoaches, which are teaching systems integrated into real cars that can monitor students’ driving and give them feedback and instructions.
In 2019, Beijing Yi Jia Jia Technology rolled out such a system in almost 30 driving schools across China.
“With intelligent simulators plus robocoaches, we want to standardise the learning process,” Li said, adding that human instructors are more likely to have varying standards.
As the technology develops, the impact for traditional driving schools could be “huge”, Sun said.
“Traditional driving training companies have their advantages, but they can be easily replaced by new technologies. If they do not embrace new technologies (like AI), they are likely to be eliminated.” – South China Morning Post
WEBCAMS generally do their job just fine. But sometimes you just want them to do more than just film your face. Like what if you want to turn into a cat during your next meeting?
Or perhaps the picture somehow always looks bad? And what if you can’t get a virtual background in your video chat service?
If you’re keen on using fun or advanced features that you can’t find in Zoom or whatever video chat software you use privately or at work, then there’s two things you can do.
The first is to look at what else your webcam can offer.
Most of us don’t bother looking at the webcam’s software, so long as it works, but some manufacturers supply decent tools with a range of video options that are worth taking a look at.
But of course sometimes the programs are also bad. Sometimes there isn’t even one at all, as the webcam runs fine with standard drivers.
Luckily users aren’t dependent on video chat providers or webcam manufacturers when it comes to missing features.
The second place to look for better video chat is with free third-party programs you can download. These will monitor your webcam’s signal and alter it with effects and backgrounds for you.
This is possible with Webcamoid, a free open-source webcam software for Windows and Mac as well as Linux.
If you can’t find the features you need in Webcamoid, you can also try the more playful program Webcammax for Windows.
With the free version, however, you have to live with fewer effects and sometimes a watermark in the picture. On Linux computers, Cheese is another alternative.
Mac users can also experiment with Photo Booth, which comes with MACOS. Originally, it could only be used to take photos or record videos via webcam.
Since MACOS X 10.5 (Leopard), however, the program can also access webcam streams in order to add visual effects or backgrounds. – dpa