Volkswagen at the CES 2024 (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas has showcased their newest technology which will integrate AI-based chatbot ChatGPT into its IDA voice assistant. This first-of-its-kind automotive-grade ChatGPT – developed alongside Cerence Inc’s Cerence Chat Pro – is aimed to allow users to search for information and have it read out to them while driving. Volkswagen will be the first volume manufacturer to offer Chat GPT as a standard from the second quarter of 2024 in many production vehicles. This new chatbot will be offered in cars fitted with the latest generation of infotainment interface seen in EVs like the ID7, ID4, ID5, and ID3, along with ICE models which include Tiguan, Passat and the Golf.
ChatGPT: A Language Model Revolution
At the heart of this integration lies ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. Known for its advanced natural language processing capabilities, and the ChatGPT has been garnered attention across various industries for its ability to be generate coherent and the contextually relevant text. By incorporating ChatGPT into their in the voice assistant system, and also the Volkswagen is tapping into the power of this language model to be enable more then the sophisticated and the context-aware conversations within the car.
Revolutionizing In-Car Conversations
Traditionally, voice assistants in vehicles have been limited to basic commands, such as setting navigation, adjusting climate controls, or making phone calls. With ChatGPT, Volkswagen envisions a conversational AI system that can understand and respond to a broader range of queries, engage in more natural dialogue, and even provide information beyond the confines of the car's functionalities.
Enhanced User Experience: One of the primary goals of integrating ChatGPT is to be enhance then overall user experience for the Volkswagen drivers. Whether it's asking for personalized recommendations, seeking information about points of interest, or engaging in casual conversation, drivers can expect a more intuitive and enjoyable in-car experience.
Personalization and Adaptability: Volkswagen's integration of ChatGPT opens the door to a new era of personalization in automotive voice systems. As ChatGPT understands natural language nuances, it can adapt to individual drivers' preferences and conversational styles.
Expanded Information Access: Beyond the conventional functionalities of a voice assistant, the integration of ChatGPT empowers Volkswagen drivers with expanded information access.
The ChatGPT integrated IDA voice assistant can be used to control the infotainment, navigation, and air conditioning, or to answer any general knowledge questions. It won’t require creating a new account or installing a new app to activate ChatGPT. In terms of usability, when the user makes a request through the IDA voice assist, and it cannot be answered by the Volkswagen system, it is forwarded to AI and the same IDA voice responds with the help of ChatGPT. Volkswagen asserts that ChatGPT does not gain access to any vehicle data. Also, the questions and answers are deleted immediately to ensure the user’s data protection. How well the ChatGPT integration into the vehicle’s infotainment system performs in real-world conditions will be seen in a few months when these VW cars take the road in the European and then in American markets.