Volkswagen’s Cars to Converse with Users through ChatGPT Voice Assistant
In a move to enhance user experience and create a seamless interaction between drivers and their vehicles, Volkswagen has announced that its cars will soon be able to converse with users through a back-and-forth dialogue facilitated by the ChatGPT voice assistant. This groundbreaking feature is set to be incorporated into Volkswagen’s vehicles by mid-year.
The German automaker showcased its first vehicles equipped with the ChatGPT voice assistant at the CES electronics trade show in Las Vegas. Customers in North America and Europe can look forward to accessing this feature starting from the second quarter of this year.
Volkswagen has partnered with Cerence, a leading provider of AI voice assistants, to develop this advanced technology. According to executives from both companies, the AI-powered voice assistant is capable of recognizing and responding to a wide range of requests. For example, it can raise the temperature when it hears a user say, I am feeling cold, or direct the customer to the nearest Indian restaurant upon hearing the request for butter chicken.
Kai Gruenitz, Volkswagen’s board member for technical development, highlighted that this new system allows certain vehicle features to be adjusted without the need to touch a button. He emphasized that many customers prefer using speech-to-text systems to adjust their seats, rather than manually doing so.
However, there are some critics who argue that the addition of generative AI to vehicles falls short of the expectations set a few years ago, particularly in comparison to fully autonomous vehicles. Yet, the auto industry firmly disagrees with this stance.
Gruenitz expressed Volkswagen’s commitment to continuously improve the user experience. He mentioned that future developments should aim to enable customers with Apple CarPlay, Android, or similar systems to adjust their vehicle’s functionalities seamlessly.
Volkswagen takes pride in being the first volume manufacturer to make this technology a standard feature in its compact segment cars, setting a new benchmark for the industry. Notably, in 2014, General Motors (GM) had announced its intentions to develop a virtual personal assistant (VPA) based on AI models, which later served as the foundation for ChatGPT. Mercedes-Benz has also been running a successful test program that allows users of approximately 900,000 cars equipped with the automaker’s MBUX system to download the ChatGPT voice assistant.
As the automotive industry continues to embrace AI-powered technologies, Volkswagen’s integration of ChatGPT into its cars marks a significant milestone in enhancing the driving experience. With this advanced voice assistant, users can expect intuitive and seamless interactions with their vehicles, making driving a more enjoyable and convenient experience.
In conclusion, Volkswagen’s incorporation of ChatGPT voice assistant into its vehicles demonstrates the brand’s commitment to innovation and delivering enhanced user experiences. By enabling cars to converse with users through a back-and-forth dialogue, Volkswagen is shaping the future of in-car AI technology. This development aligns with the company’s goal of providing customers with a seamless and intuitive way to interact with their cars. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see the further advancements in AI-powered technologies for vehicles.
