Smart homes and connected cars have generated plenty of hype over the past 15 years, but the progress we have made in this time is undeniable. Smart speakers, digital cameras and efficient LED lighting are just some of the smart home features that have rapidly become common in many households.
When it comes to transport, high-tech advanced driver-assistance systems are starting to expand from luxury vehicles to standard cars at a rapid pace. Automatic or assisted parking, smart vehicle diagnostics, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control are some examples of technology that makes it safer and easier to get around.
But we are just at the start of the connected car and home revolution, with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) set to take your experience with smart devices to new heights. Next-generation Internet of Things platforms are leading the way in making AI-driven interactions more natural and responsive.
Reimagining the home with AI
The smart home space is booming, estimated to be worth around $84.5 billion in 2024 and forecast to rise to$116.4 billion by 2029. 5G and affordable sensors have helped to catalyse this growth, with more advanced AI features expected to bring even more powerful automations and experiences into your home.
The intelligence embedded in home automation systems makes your life easier, improves security and safety, and enhances energy efficiency. Bedrooms gently dim with your arrival, appliances adapt to your schedule, air conditioning systems optimise ambient temperature control and your surroundings respond to your preferences.
Smart cleaning robots can learn about your house and routine, mapping layouts, scheduling as you prefer, and cleaning quietly and efficiently without getting in your way. Home appliances may integrate maintenance alerts, warning you before your washing machine’s motor fails, for example.
In South Africa, where load-shedding is common, solar systems with smart tech can be especially valuable. Your home systems can intelligently schedule heavy appliance use during solar peak hours to maximise your energy savings. The smarter systems can even adjust to weather conditions and power usage patterns.
GenAI is the next step forward, taking personalisation and ease of use to a whole new level. Imagine interacting with your solutions with natural language interactions, so that you don’t need to memorise specific commands or tap through multiple screens. You can simply speak naturally, and your devices will accurately interpret, understand and respond.
Exciting new features are coming to the fore with GenAI. Think about smart security systems that can offer auto-generated summaries of camera footage: “A man approached the front door at 3:47pm, stayed for 22 seconds, and left.” Or consider a system that lets you know when the kids have arrived safely home from school.
AI on the move
On the mobility front, advanced AI and GenAI is transforming cars into intelligent, adaptive vehicles that learn from you to improve your driving experience and road safety in real time. Navigation systems don’t just suggest the shortest path, they also adapt dynamically using real-time traffic, weather, and road conditions.
Voice assistants, like Google Assistant for Android Auto, will be enriched with the latest GenAI models. Instead of multiple taps or voice commands, you’ll be able to manage nearly every aspect of your car with natural language. Think about using the phrase “Let’s go home” to trigger navigation, music and interior temperature tailored to your needs.
GenAI could bring new levels of personalisation to your car. AI systems could detect who is in the driver’s seat via facial recognition or voiceprint and instantly adjust settings to their profile. That might include preferences such as language, media seat position, dashboard layout, and more.
How edge-AI is making it happen
One of the big drivers of GenAI in your car and home is the advent of edge-first AI architecture. What this means is that a lot of the processing involved in using AI happens on the device, be it your smart speaker, security camera, or smart thermostats rather than in the cloud.
There is less latency, your device can respond instantly rather than waiting for an answer from a service in the cloud. You are also assured that sensitive data, like your children’s voice or facial biometrics, stay on the device in your home, ensuring privacy. Edge AI also works during power outages or when or your internet connectivity is down.
The MediaTek Genio edge-AI platforms for smart home, connected car and Internet of Things applications are designed to support the latest generative AI models, human machine interface (HMI), multimedia, and connectivity features for smart home, retail, industrial, and commercial IoT devices.
Our edge-AI systems are optimised for low power, ensuring real‑time performance in appliances, home hubs, and automotive systems even in offline modes. Backed by our extensive global AI ecosystem, developers can use global language models and common frameworks to bring products to market faster.
We know how frustrating it can be when gadgets don’t play well together. Our Genio platform provides a one-stop development toolkit. This helps developers to create home and car systems that work well together. The aim is to ensure all your devices connect reliably and communicate seamlessly across platforms.
A future of seamless experiences
MediaTek sees the future of smart homes as one where technology blends seamlessly into everyday life: Intuitive, responsive, and always working in the background to make things easier. We’re laying the groundwork today for homes that understand and adapt to the people living in them, creating spaces that feel truly personal.
Article By Christo Wessels, Manager: Sub-Saharan Africa at MediaTek
