German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen has announced plans to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into their vehicles, revolutionizing the driving experience. During the CES 2024 trade fair, Volkswagen revealed that the integration of ChatGPT into its IDA voice assistant will be available in the second quarter of 2024.
The integration of ChatGPT into Volkswagen’s voice assistant, called Hello IDA, will provide customers with seamless access to a growing artificial intelligence database while driving. This feature will be available across Volkswagen’s lineup, including popular models such as the Tiguan, Passat, and Golf, as well as their ID family of electric vehicles. Initially, the feature will be launched in Europe, with plans to expand to the US.
The integration of ChatGPT into Volkswagen’s voice assistant is made possible through Cerence Chat Pro, which offers a wide range of new capabilities beyond voice control. In addition to controlling infotainment, navigation, and air conditioning, the IDA voice assistant can now answer general knowledge questions and provide additional information based on its expanding abilities. This allows for enriched conversations, clarification of questions, and intuitive language interaction, all while driving hands-free.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has gained significant popularity since its launch in 2022, attracting massive investments. Most recently, the company raised between $8 billion and $10 billion from G42 and secured a separate tender offer led by Thrive Capital. Microsoft also made a significant investment of over $10 billion in OpenAI last year.
Despite the integration of ChatGPT, Volkswagen ensures that the user experience remains seamless for the driver. No new account creation, app installation, or ChatGPT activation is required. The voice assistant intuitively assesses requests, prioritizing tasks such as executing vehicle functions, searching for destinations, and adjusting the temperature. If a request exceeds the capabilities of the Volkswagen system, it is anonymized and sent to AI, with responses provided by the familiar Volkswagen voice.
To address privacy concerns, ChatGPT does not gain access to any vehicle data, and questions and answers are deleted immediately for optimal data protection. Cerence Chat Pro leverages multiple sources, including ChatGPT, to enable IDA to provide accurate and relevant responses to nearly every query imaginable. This integration prioritizes security and seamless functionality, offering ease of use for drivers.
Volkswagen’s adoption of generative AI and integration of ChatGPT into their vehicles highlights their commitment to democratizing technology and making it accessible to many. By offering this innovative technology as a standard feature, Volkswagen sets itself apart as the first volume manufacturer to provide such capabilities in compact segment vehicles and beyond.
Volkswagen’s collaboration with Cerence not only enhances the customer experience but also paves the way for future innovations. Stefan Ortmanns, CEO of Cerence, expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with Volkswagen to design a new user experience based on large language models, envisioning it as the foundation of Volkswagen’s next-generation in-car assistant. Together, Volkswagen and Cerence aim to continuously push the boundaries of AI technology in the automotive industry.
With Volkswagen’s integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT into their vehicles, driving will never be the same again. The availability of extensive information and seamless voice control are set to transform the driving experience, making it safer, more enjoyable, and more interactive.
