Volkswagen Says It's Putting ChatGPT In Its Cars For 'Enriching Conversations'

Starting in the second quarter of 2024, Volkswagen drivers will be able to install OpenAI's ChatGPT in their vehicles. The Verge reports: The chatbot will be available across VW's lineup, including in Tiguan, Passat, and Golf as well as the automaker's ID family of electric vehicles. The feature will come to Europe first and is being considered for customers in the US, though plans have yet to be finalized. VW is using ChatGPT to augment its IDA in-car voice assistant to enable more naturalistic communication between car and driver. Vehicle owners can use the new super-powered voice assistant to control basic functions, like heating and air conditioning, or to answer 'general knowledge questions.'

If you're scratching your head, wondering why you would possibly need ChatGPT in your car, VW says future functions may help prove its worth. 'Enriching conversations, clearing up questions, interacting in intuitive language, receiving vehicle-specific information, and much more -- purely hands-free,' the company says. VW promises it won't force you to create a new account or install any apps. The chatbot can be activated by using the wake words 'Hello IDA' or pressing a button on the steering wheel. And OpenAI isn't getting access to your driving stats, either. VW says questions and answers are 'deleted immediately to ensure the highest possible level of data protection.'

VW says it is able to integrate OpenAI's chatbot into its cars thanks to Cerence, a third-party software company that makes 'automative grade' ChatGPT integrations. The company's Cerence Chat Pro software will enhance VW's voice assistant so it can 'provide relevant responses to nearly every query imaginable.'

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