Audi's AI Robots Judge Your Welding Worse Than The Internet

Audi is taking significant strides in embracing artificial intelligence (AI), with the German marque announcing previously that ituses AI to design wheels. Now, the company has introduced a system that utilizes AI for quality control. The latest project focuses on examining spot welds in car bodies. Audi has successfully developed and tested the AI system at its Neckarsulm facility, where theAudi e-tron GTand R8 are produced.

According to Audi, the impact of the new AI-powered system has been remarkable, with the AI analyzing approximately 1.5 million spot welds on 300 vehicles during each shift. Its introduction has enhanced efficiency and freed employees to concentrate on identifying "possible anomalies."

Before implementation, employees had to manually check around 5,000 spot welds per vehicle using ultrasound equipment.

"As part of our 360factory production strategy, we will make production at Audi locations worldwide even more efficient. In this regard, the use of artificial intelligence in series production promises huge potential," says Gerd Walker, Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics.

Building on the pilot program's success, Audi plans to deploy the AI quality control system at three additional facilities by the end of the year. These locations include plants in Brussels and Ingolstadt - the former makes theQ8 e-tron, while the latter produces most of the Audi models in the market today. Volkswagen's Emden facility, where the VW ID. 4 is made, will also adopt the AI system.