Car design is a complex process. Creating innovative and aesthetically pleasing designs while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance brings with it multifaceted challenges. In addition, it often demands substantial investments in design teams, tools and physical prototypes.
Our journey to the Tata Technologies InnoVent hackathon was a collaborative effort filled with research and brainstorming sessions. Named Team Rolex, we explored the transformative potential of Gen AI in automotive design, with the idea of enhancing engineering productivity and setting a new standard in automotive styling. This involved using Generative AI for design iterations, allowing users to provide design text prompts, optimising efficiency through automation, and providing a user-friendly interface. Among the 800 projects in the contest, ours stood our for automating car design using deep tech (Stable Diffusion Model).
Deep dive
In the virtual prototype demo round, we brought our theoretical concepts to life. The interest from Tata Technologies SMEs in our application for Stage 2 was critical as it challenged us to create software that lived up to our ambitious proposal. This stage was defined by intense experimentation, exploration of technologies, and constant learning, as we aimed to apply complex AI algorithms to practical automotive design solutions.
The emerging nature of Gen AI meant learning from scratch and pioneering its application in automotive styling. Our partnership with the Tata Technologies team was key in navigating these challenges. Their expertise and insights enriched our project, allowing us to refine our tool to meet real-world needs. Our software emerged as a transformative solution by reducing design cycle times and enhancing styling creativity and precision.
Looking back, we see our success as more than just winning a competition; it was about advancing the frontiers of automotive design with AI, embracing the unknown, and realising our potential through dedication and innovation. This experience has not only readied us for what lies ahead but has also deepened our belief in the power of innovation to turn dreams into reality.
The writers are students of Bannari Amman Institute Of Technology, Erode, Tamil Nadu.
Published - March 30, 2024 12:15 pm IST
