Volkswagen brings ChatGPT into compact cars

Volkswagen unveiled its first vehicles with a voice assistant that uses the artificial intelligence (AI) technology behind ChatGPT at the CES electronics trade show in Las Vegas on Monday.

The new feature will enable drivers to have researched content read to them while they’re driving Volkswagen models that are equipped with the “IDA” voice assistant, which the automaker says can answer general knowledge questions while also having the ability to control the car’s infotainment, navigation and air conditioning systems.

The company says that in the future, AI will provide additional information in response to questions that go beyond those functions as its capabilities continue to expand. This could include receiving vehicle-specific information as well as interacting in intuitive language, clearing up questions and helping enrich conversations.

Volkswagen said that its integration of ChatGPT, which was carried out in partnership with Cerence Inc., will make it the first volume manufacturer to make the AI chatbot a standard feature in its compact cars.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The feature doesn’t require Volkswagen drivers to create a new account or install either an app or ChatGPT. The IDA voice assistant is activated by a user saying “Hello IDA” or pressing a button on the steering wheel.

Volkswagen noted in a press release that ChatGPT doesn’t gain access to any vehicle data, and questions and answers are deleted immediately to help ensure data protection. Cerence Chat Pro is used to facilitate this as the platform leverages a variety of sources, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to provide accurate and relevant responses to users’ queries.

WHAT IS CHATGPT?

“Thanks to the seamless integration of ChatGPT and strong collaboration with our partner, Cerence, we are offering our drivers added value and direct access to the AI-based research tool,” said Kai Grünitz, a member of Volkswagen’s board of management for technical development, in a statement. “This also underlines the innovative strength of our new products.”

“With Cerence Chat Pro, VW is empowered with an automotive-grade ChatGPT integration that offers unmatched flexibility, customization, and ease of deployment, while prioritizing security and usability for drivers,” Cerence CEO Stefan Ortmanns added in a statement. “As we look to the future, together Volkswagen and Cerence will explore collaboration to design a new, large language model-based (LLM) user experience as the foundation of Volkswagen’s next generation in-car assistant.”

Mercedes-Benz ran a test program last June enabling about 900,000 vehicles with the automaker’s “MBUX” system to download ChatGPT with the view of users eventually being able to carry out tasks like making movie or restaurant reservations from behind the wheel.

Reuters contributed to this report.