Volkswagen has upgraded the voice assistant in its cars to be a lot more talkative than before, thanks to the power of ChatGPT. OpenAI’s conversational companion has been integrated across VW vehicles as promised back at CES, including the newest Jettas and electric cars.
ChatGPT is more of an upgrade than a complete reworking of VW’s infotainment center. The chatbot relies on VW’s long-time voice AI partner, Cerence, and the Cerence Chat Pro platform to enhance VW’s existing Ida voice assistant. The result goes well beyond the usual navigation and climate controls. Leveraging OpenAI’s creation, a driver can get everything from local entertainment suggestions to a spontaneous trivia quiz.
Volkswagen’s upgraded voice assistant offers a more intuitive user experience. Activated by phrases such as “Hello IDA” or “Hello Volkswagen,” depending on the vehicle, drivers and passengers can now interact with their cars in a more casual way. If Ida can’t help you, it connects to the cloud, where Cerence Chat Pro processes the query. This cloud-based system taps into multiple databases and sources, including ChatGPT, to answer your question.
"We are proud to partner with Volkswagen Group to deliver immediate value to their drivers as they look to leverage generative AI while on the go," Cerence CEO Stefan Ortmanns said. "These new capabilities – which will continue to expand – make the IDA voice assistant more knowledgeable, capable, and valuable than ever and enable a safer and more enjoyable journey."
Voice Clone of Your Own
One important element is how the voice assistant deals with data privacy. Volkswagen emphasized that the AI does not access sensitive vehicle data and that all session data is deleted immediately after each use. Most 2025 Volkswagen models will include the subscription as a free trial when they hit the market. Others will require you to subscribe to VW’s Plus Speech with AI, part of Volkswagen’s Car-Net system to begin with, but that could change as ChatGPT becomes embedded in more VW vehicles.
Voice assistants are a common feature in modern vehicles. But VW sees ChatGPT as more than just a minor perk. A more advanced solution than traditional voice assistants could help entice those looking for an AI that can handle natural conversations while driving. Though Mercedes-Benz and other carmakers are experimenting with ChatGPT and other generative AI models for their voice assistants, VW’s early adoption might keep it ahead in the endless race to win new car buyers.
“Volkswagen has a long tradition of democratizing technologies. As a volume manufacturer, we make these technologies accessible to large numbers of people,” Volkswagen Brand Board of Management member Kai Grünitz explained in a statement this summer. ”By seamlessly integrating ChatGPT into the backend of our voice assistant, we are now offering drivers the opportunity to use this artificial intelligence on a daily basis, thus underlining how innovative our products are.”
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