Bosch, IBM join forces ...... How can quantum computing empower the automotive industry
On November 9, IBM announced at the Quantum Summit [1] that Bosch (Bosch), the world's number one supplier of automotive technology, is working with IBM: Bosch will join the IBM Quantum Network, using more than two dozen IBM quantum computers to help identify alternatives to metal, rare earth elements currently used in engines and fuel cells.
01Bosch & IBM: Quantum simulation of alternative materials for electric vehicle minerals
One of the most important factors hindering the rollout of electric vehicles is the limited availability of key earth minerals (e.g., lithium, cobalt, and nickel) used in electric vehicle batteries and motors. With the world's largest economies moving toward zero-emission electric vehicles, sales of electric vehicles are expected to accelerate in the future.
The question is, how can we fill the supply gap?
Most automakers are scrambling to sign supply agreements to ensure they have enough material to meet their goals; meanwhile, companies like Li-Cycle and Nth Cycle are developing innovative ways to recycle and process battery minerals to ensure future supply. And Bosch and IBM are taking their collaboration one step further: Bosch will bring its experience in materials simulation and large-scale production, combined with IBM's quantum computing technology and knowledge of quantum algorithms; using quantum supercomputers to simulate different models and investigate which materials might have alternatives, or at least partial alternatives.
The collaboration lays the foundation for advanced algorithms and workflows that make computer-generated material design possible. Thomas Kropf, head of Bosch Research, explains, "For Bosch, materials used in the fields of electric vehicles, renewable energy and sensor technology play a particularly prominent role here; developing alternatives to these materials needed to make electric vehicles accelerates the rollout while keeping prices affordable."
Scott Crowder, vice president of quantum applications and business development at IBM, added [2], "Even simple models of real materials can quickly become difficult for classical computers to simulate; that's why Bosch's collaboration with IBM, and the IBM Quantum Network, on quantum computing research is so important. Together we will address a wide range of materials science problems in the areas of electric vehicles, renewable energy and sensor technology."
The collaboration between Bosch and IBM to develop alternatives to rare earth metals is promising. Quantum computers are very powerful, using various algorithms to process large amounts of data in a matter of seconds. If they can develop alternatives, they could drive down the cost of electric vehicles by making them more accessible to automakers, opening up a market of buyers seeking zero-emission travel options.
02Quantum technology applied to the automotive industry: significant potential advantages, large capital investment
Classical computers are used throughout the automotive industry: in manufacturing vehicles, inside vehicles, and in the peripheral applications on which the industry relies. So, what about quantum computers? It turns out that quantum computing may be able to play a major role in all these areas: bringing billions of dollars in savings and helping to protect the environment [3].
Specifically, quantum computing has three major potential benefits.
The first quantifiable benefit is the use of computational fluid dynamics to avoid expensive tunneling tests. The aerospace and automotive industries spend $35 billion annually on this. Quantum computing could save billions of dollars on this alone and should show a significant return on investment (ROI).
Another important benefit could be predicting traffic patterns for self-driving cars, which is not only a routing problem, but also an image classification problem. Companies such as Volkswagen are pioneering this, while using quantum computing to streamline logistics and optimize production costs (e.g., paint shop scheduling); BMW uses quantum computing for applications such as sensor placement and configuration management.
In addition, the environment can benefit greatly from better batteries: using quantum computers to make batteries lighter, smaller and more efficient. This affects not only electric vehicle (EV) batteries, but also solar cells and related energy storage technologies; one potential application of quantum computing is carbon fixation, which means "better carbon capture and reduced carbon emissions".
So how could quantum computing be used in the automotive industry?
Starting with manufacturers, quantum computers may become helpful for product design, supply chain optimization, configuration management and optimal scheduling; they may also be used to optimize the location of sensors and the routing of various systems from the sensors to the vehicle.
On the retailer side, quantum computers may help with advertising optimization and loyalty reward optimization to get customers through the dealership doors. Once there, customers may be subject to credit risk analysis and insurance risk analysis: both of which can be mitigated by fraud detection and reduction.
However, the vehicle must be shipped from the manufacturer to the dealership. This may involve quantum-assisted logistics optimization, including transportation logistics.
Drivers may have the most quantum computing applications. In addition to the computers that make the vehicle work, options include GPS for route optimization, natural language processing (NLP) for hands-free options to improve safety, and weather forecasting (icy roads, etc.).
Then there are additional potential applications for companies that hire drivers. In addition to quantum-assisted dispatch optimization, concerns include bus route optimization. Consumers will feel that other applications will be all of the above optimizations, especially traffic flow optimization.
Finally, without fuel, none of these vehicles will go very far. Energy production is an issue, including oil extraction and energy reduction issues. When talking about electric vehicles, another concern is infrastructure optimization, including grid optimization. All of these are potential applications for quantum computing.
Many applications are ripe for disruption by quantum computing; while it is difficult to measure the current impact of quantum computing on the automotive industry, the potential benefits are real, so much so that companies are investing heavily in this research. Once quantum computers are mature enough, a large portion of these applications will be realized.
03Laying out quantum computing as automotive giants move toward a digital future
With the advent of the digital age, the demand for telematics in intelligent transportation systems is growing by the day. A completely different ecosystem is expected by 2030, with billions of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and millions of connected and self-driving vehicles. Thus, automotive giants have already taken a major step into the future by entering quantum computing (QC) [4].
1) Volkswagen. VW announced in 2017 a partnership with Google to conduct research in quantum computing in three main areas.
Optimizing traffic patterns. Volkswagen and quantum computing company D-Wave Systems conducted an algorithm-based experiment in Beijing in 2017 to optimize traffic flow, using data from 10,000 cabs. Volkswagen said the experiment achieved positive results in reducing congestion by selecting the ideal route for each vehicle. In the future, Volkswagen plans to use quantum algorithms to optimize the use of parking spaces and charging stations by sending information calculated in real time.
Electric vehicle batteries. Quantum computing will help Volkswagen take its ambitious EV battery cell research to new heights.In 2018, Volkswagen engineers used quantum computers to simulate key molecules such as lithium-hydrogen and carbon chains, which opens the door to more complex compounds. The goal is to simulate the chemistry of electric vehicle batteries on a quantum computer based on criteria such as maximum power density and battery pack assembly.
Autonomous driving. Quantum computing will also support Volkswagen's self-driving technology through machine learning.
2) Ford. Ford entered into a one-year agreement with NASA in 2018 to work with the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL) to improve the fuel efficiency of diesel-fueled fleet vehicles. quAIL's D-Wave 2000 computer created the first use cases of route optimization for Ford. While traditional computers do not easily put together several parameters such as speed, traffic patterns and number of stops on a route, quantum computing will help maximize efficiency by revealing the optimal route.
3) Daimler. Daimler chose Google in 2018 to take the first step in quantum research to develop sustainable and efficient mobility solutions. Jan Brecht, Daimler's chief information officer, describes the goal of their collaboration as "gaining experience with quantum technologies at an early stage. To this end, Daimler will pursue advances in areas including battery technology, self-driving cars and urban mobility through deep learning and artificial intelligence on quantum computers.
4) Toyota. Japanese auto giant Toyota partnered with global auto parts maker Denso in 2017 to conduct an experiment based on 130,000 commercial vehicles in Thailand to evaluate traffic data. Denso partnered with Toyota's subsidiary Toyota Tsusho to work with the D-Wave Systems quantum computer.
5) Bosch. To accelerate its presence in battery development and electric vehicles, Bosch invested in Zapata Computing in 2019 to support algorithms, quantum software and other quantum technology tools. The main areas in which Bosch aims to participate are sensor technology and quantum codes.
Not only quantum computing, but also post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is of great significance. As a representative of travel computing platforms connected to other vehicles (V2V) and transportation infrastructure (V2I), connected vehicles will provide a significantly enhanced attack surface for criminals. Even worse, cybercriminals will greatly increase their arsenal through the use of quantum computers themselves. The public-key cryptography (PKC) approach currently used is unable to defend against attacks from quantum computers, making the use of quantum-secure cryptographic mechanisms inevitable. To mitigate the enormous risks, such as compromising transportation systems throughout smart cities, local governments and the automotive industry must develop many security standards under the PQC.
McKinsey & Company expects the technology world to evolve rapidly by 2030: we will witness quantum simulations, complex optimization problems and sophisticated quantum artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Leveraging quantum technologies is even more compelling for stakeholders in the automotive industry.
About Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch).
Bosch is a German multinational company whose primary business is engineering and electronics. It was the world's largest supplier of automotive components in 2011. The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch, and is now 92 percent owned by the Robert Bosch Foundation.
Bosch's core products are automotive components (including brakes, controls, electrical drives, electronics, fuel systems, generators, starters, and steering systems), industrial products (including drives and controls, packaging technology, and consumer goods), and building products (household appliances, power tools, safety systems, and thermal technology).
Bosch is ranked first in Automotive News Europe's list of the top 100 global suppliers, with global component sales to automakers of $49.14 billion in 2021.
Reference links：
[1]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-09/quantum-computers-how-bosch-ibm-search-for-electric-car-materials#xj4y7vzkg
[2]https://electrek.co/2022/11/10/bosch-ibm-using-supercomputers-to-boost-electric-vehicle-minerals/
[3]https://www.classiq.io/insights/how-quantum-computing-can-be-used-automotive-industry
[4]https://www.globalfleet.com/fr/technology-and-innovation/global/analysis/how-will-quantum-technology-evolve-automotive-industry?t%5B0%5D=Fleet%20Management&curl=1
