At CES 2024, Volkswagen unveiled the integration of OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT into its IDA voice assistant, marking a significant advancement in automotive technology.
This integration, a collaboration with technology partner Cerence, will be a standard feature in many Volkswagen models starting from the second quarter of 2024.
The innovative chatbot, powered by Cerence Chat Pro, will be available in Volkswagen’s latest electric vehicles, including ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, and the new gas-powered Tiguan, Passat, and Golf. This integration enhances the IDA voice assistant’s capabilities, allowing it to control infotainment, navigation, air conditioning, and answer general knowledge questions, all hands-free.
“Volkswagen has always democratized technology and made it accessible to the many. This is simply ingrained in our DNA,” said Kai Grünitz, Member of the Board of Management Volkswagen Brand for Technical Development. “As a result, we are now the first volume manufacturer to make this innovative technology a standard feature in vehicles from the compact segment upwards.”
The integration process is user-friendly, requiring no new accounts or apps. Drivers can activate the voice assistant with a simple command or button press. ChatGPT, while providing a wide range of responses, does not access vehicle data, ensuring high data protection standards.
“We are proud to build on our automotive expertise and our long-standing partnership with Volkswagen to offer its customers new innovations that leverage generative AI and large language models,” said Stefan Ortmanns, CEO of Cerence, in a statement. “With Cerence Chat Pro, VW is empowered with an automotive-grade ChatGPT integration that offers unmatched flexibility, customization, and ease of deployment.”
ChatGPT definitely brings some smarter answers unlike other voice assistants, but how often do people need to seek out non-vehicle related data in the car?
