Sygic to Showcase AI-enhanced Augmented Reality Navigation App at TU-Automotive Detroit 2019

The proof of concept of the app, which is able to take advantage of built-in car cameras, will demonstrate how the advanced augmented navigation system uses artificial intelligence to segment objects on the road in real-time

Sygic today announces that it will hold the proof of concept demonstration of its advanced augmented navigation app, Real View AI, at TU-Automotive Detroit 2019. Vice President of the Automotive Unit at Sygic Stefan Janciga will showcase how the technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to segment objects that arise en-route, along with the road itself. The AI-enhanced augmented reality (AR) navigation app will be launched for smartphones later this year.

The lightweight solution works by using the camera of the smartphone attached to the windshield, which is then pointed towards the road in front of the car. Car makers can also integrate it with their existing infotainment systems in order to use the built-in camera in the front of the vehicle. The AR navigation app then gives directions to the driver based on their real-world surroundings by recognizing objects on and around the road, helping drivers to make the best decisions by drawing attention to potential hazards.

The AR navigation app also works in offline mode and can be used in built-in infotainment systems and with car cameras. Sygic will eventually use the road data collected by the AI in the app to dynamically update maps with no contribution needed from the driver.

Sygic was one of the first navigation companies to incorporate augmented reality - with its Real View add-on - into its solution, Sygic GPS Navigation. The company brought this feature to its customers in 2017 - almost two years before Google offered something similar.

More than half of people in the U.S. regularly use their smartphones for navigation purposes, and with the addition of intelligent AR navigation, Sygic users will be able to minimize accidents and maximize focus while driving.

“The Sygic AR navigation app with neuron networks is capable of being adjusted to all operating systems currently used by car makers in built-in infotainment systems. It has lightweight hardware requirements and only needs access to the built-in front camera,” said Janciga.

“By displaying the navigation instructions in the real world, it will provide the drivers the convenience of navigating difficult city landscapes. At the same time, the data can be used to update the map in the car with no internet connection by segmenting the signs in the road,” he added.

TU-Automotive Detroit 2019 will host Sygic’s Vice President of the Automotive Unit Stefan Janciga, who will showcase the AR navigation app at stand C220, along with VP of Enterprise Miroslav Remecky, who will join the panel discussion about user experience (UX), AI, and Next Generation Driving Assistants.