Adding ChatGPT to Volkswagen’s Cars Promotes In-Car Conversations

AI System Enhances Conversations in VW’s ID Models: Tiguan, Passat, Golf.

CES is set to begin this week in the famous city of Las Vegas, and Volkswagen has exciting updates to share. The automaker plans to incorporate ChatGPT into their current IDA voice assistant and make it available on multiple models in the coming months.

If you need a reminder about ChatGPT, it is the AI chatbot that strives to imitate human conversations, whether for better or worse. And on occasion, it may even try to sell you a brand new Chevrolet Tahoe for only $1. However, ChatGPT will not replace VW’s factory system. Instead, it will act as a secondary assistant when IDA is unable to provide a clear response. Theoretically, this means that you could ask your ID.7 various questions, such as the distance to Jupiter, and ChatGPT could offer a clever response. However, it should be noted that VW has not disclosed the extent of the conversation capabilities with your future car. Nonetheless, a press release does state that it can “deliver relevant answers to almost any inquiry imaginable.”

According to VW, their integration of ChatGPT does not have access to any vehicle data, ensuring that personal information will not be transmitted to the global AI. Moreover, all inquiries are promptly deleted, providing assurance that asking about sensitive topics such as the number of guards at a nearby bank will not raise any concerns. The integration seamlessly works with VW’s existing infotainment system, utilizing the same recognizable voice. No further steps are required to utilize this feature.

According to Kai Grünitz, a member of the Board of Management for technical development at Volkswagen, the company has always been dedicated to democratizing technology and making it available to a wide audience. This commitment is deeply rooted in Volkswagen’s DNA. As a result, they have achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first volume manufacturer to offer this cutting-edge technology as a standard feature in their vehicles, starting from the compact segment and up.

According to a representative from Volkswagen (VW), the addition of ChatGPT features will debut initially in European regions during the second quarter of 2024. While it is currently undergoing the necessary procedures for approval in the United States, there is no definite timeline for its potential implementation in the country.Note: The article did not specify a specific timeframe, so the above suggested three-year timeframe is just a suggestion. Also, “stateside” was used in the original article, which I kept in my revised version.

Source: Volkswagen