The LA Auto Show is back – and this year, artificial intelligence is taking the driver’s seat.
Recently, I met up with some folks to get a sneak peek at what’s coming to the show floor. We were at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design, a school known for shaping the future of automotive design.
“It’s great for individuals, it’s great for people on dates, it’s great for families,” said David Fortin of the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Once again, students from ArtCenter will showcase live design sketches at the Auto Show’s Industry Day.
“Our presence this year once again includes our students doing live sketch demos for the audience,” said Marek Djordjevic of ArtCenter College of Design. “They come for the dream careers that make the most out of their incredible talent.”
Many ArtCenter alumni have gone on to design cars for top automakers around the world – including Jenny Ha, now an exterior designer at Lucid Motors.
“Lucid is about efficiency in space and range,” said Ha. The company will showcase its Lucid Gravity Touring EV at the LA Auto Show, starting at under $80,000.
“This is an important moment for us because for a company like us, we’re still quite new and it allows us to reach a new audience,” Ha said.
The Gravity’s rear doors open a full 90 degrees for easy access – and the SUV is packed with technology inside and out.
Speaking of tech… one of the newest innovations on display lets you literally chat with your car.
Sparq is an automotive AI company that makes nearly any car smart. Plug their $129 device into your car’s OBD2 port, and it can run various diagnostics.
“It runs more than 50,000 independent diagnostics on your car. And you can literally ask your car any questions that you would typically ask a mechanic,” said Daniel Nieh of Sparq. “The only difference is you no longer need to pay hundreds of dollars to run the diagnostics, and the AI will never be biased.”
The AI assistant can estimate repair costs, explain dashboard warnings, and remind you about upcoming maintenance – no subscription required.
“The empowerment really comes into giving people the choice, as well as the freedom to do what they want to do with their vehicles,” Nieh added.
Sparq debuted at last year’s auto show and is now expanding nationwide.
Of course, the LA Auto Show isn’t all about AI – there’s lots to explore for car lovers of every kind.
“It’s more like a festival where the cars are the stars,” said Fortin. “There’s food, there’s lifestyle, there’s music. It’s a blast, actually.”
The LA Auto Show runs November 21 through 30 at the L.A. Convention Center. Tickets start at $22 for adults and $10 for kids and seniors. Industry Day is November 20.
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