Volkswagen cars to feature ChatGPT voice assistant

German car giant Volkswagen says some of its latest cars will feature ChatGPT artificial intelligence within a matter of months. Its electric ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, and ID.7 will soon include the AI chatbot, as will the all-new Tiguan SUV, Passat estate and forthcoming Golf Mk8 facelift, with existing models to have the enhancement as of March onwards.

Likened to fictional systems including Iron Man’s ‘Jarvis’ assistant and ‘KITT’ from hit the eighties TV series Knight Rider, it will allow users to call out almost any command and have the AI provide a suitable – spoken – response. VW cars fitted with its ‘IDA’ voice assistant will soon have ChatGPT functionality added to new and existing cars on the road via over-the-air software updates. In the future, it will provide customers with ‘seamless access to the constantly growing artificial intelligence database’, and provide researched answers to any question they ask that will be read out to them while driving.

The system – debuted at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show In Las Vegas – is provided by the car maker’s technology partner Cerence Inc. It has been showcased in the updated Volkswagen Golf GTI. The announcement does provide a first glimpse of the facelifted Golf’s interior, which is set to include a new – bigger – free-standing infotainment screen compared to the integrated display used in high-spec models of the Mk8 hatchback that hit the UK market in early 2020.

While DS Automobiles became the first car brand to offer ChatGPT voice command integration last year, Volkswagen bosses claim it will be the first ‘volume manufacturer’ to offer the AI chatbot as a standard feature. It will serve as an extension of the existing IDA command system, providing improved voice control functionality for the infotainment, navigation, and air conditioning settings – and will even be able to answer general knowledge questions on the move. If the request cannot be answered by the Volkswagen system, it is forwarded anonymously to AI and the familiar VW voice responds. It is activated with the phrase: ‘Hello IDA’ or by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

‘In the future, AI will provide additional information in response to questions that go beyond this as part of its continuously expanding capabilities,’ VW says. ‘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.’ The German car maker says the ChatGPT system will not gain access to any vehicle data, adding that any question and answer will be deleted immediately to ensure the highest possible level of data protection. ‘Volkswagen has always democratized technology and made it accessible to the many,’ explained said Kai Grünitz, head of technical development.

‘This is simply ingrained in our DNA. As a result, we are now the first volume manufacturer to make this innovative technology a standard feature in vehicles from the compact segment upwards. ‘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. This also underlines the innovative strength of our new products.’

Cerene bosses said the system will ‘enable drivers and passengers to engage the in-car assistant in fun and conversational chit-chat’ by ‘leveraging a multitude of sources, including ChatGPT, to provide accurate and relevant responses to nearly every query imaginable’. Volkswagen’s update to the Mk8 Golf is likely to be the last version of the famous nameplate to be powered by an internal combustion engine , the company hinted last year. VW first launched the Golf in 1974. and the moniker has since earned legendary status.

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