German vehicle maker Volkswagen is presenting the first vehicles in which the artificial-intelligence-based chatbot ChatGPT is integrated into its IDA voice assistant.

It says that in future, customers will have “seamless access to the constantly growing artificial intelligence database in all Volkswagen models equipped with the IDA voice assistant and have researched content read out to them while driving”.

Cerence Chat Pro from technology partner Cerence Inc is the foundation of the new function, which offers a intelligent, automotive-grade ChatGPT integration. Volkswagen will be the first volume manufacturer to offer Chat GPT as a standard feature from the second quarter of 2024 in many production vehicles.

The new chatbot is offered in conjunction with the latest generation of infotainment in the following models: ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, the new Tiguan and new Passat, as well as in the new Golf.

Launching at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is explains: “Enabled by Cerence Chat Pro, the integration of ChatGPT into the backend of the Volkswagen voice assistant offers a multitude of new capabilities that go far beyond the previous voice control. For example, the IDA voice assistant can be used to control the infotainment, navigation, and air conditioning, or to answer general knowledge questions.

“In the future, AI will provide additional information in response to questions that go beyond this as part of its continuously expanding capabilities. This can be helpful on many levels during a car journey: Enriching conversations, clearing up questions, interacting in intuitive language, receiving vehicle-specific information, and much more – purely hands-free.”

VW assures privacy saying ChatGPT does not gain access to any vehicle data; questions and answers are deleted immediately to ensure the highest possible level of data protection. 

(Picture – VW)

(Picture – VW)