The news came from Volkswagen at CES who revealed that artificial-intelligence-based chatbot ChatGPT will be integrated into its IDA voice assistant including in the new Golf GTI.
Cerence Chat Pro from technology partner Cerence Inc. is the foundation of the new function, which offers an automotive-grade ChatGPT integration.
Volkswagen will be the first volume manufacturer to offer Chat GPT as a standard feature from the second quarter of 2024 in many of their production vehicles.
The new chatbot is offered in conjunction with the latest generation of infotainment in the following models: ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, the all-new Tiguan and the all-new Passat, as well as in the new Golf and the Golf GTI.
The voice assistant can also be used to control the infotainment, navigation, air conditioning, and to answer general knowledge questions.
There’s no need to create a Chat GPT account, all you will need to say is “Hello IDA” or press the dedicated voice command button on the steering wheel.
The new Golf GTI and Golf received an updated look which was revealed at CES and the new infotainment system features a 12-inch screen.
To the uninitiated, voice commands in cars have been around since 2005 when it was introduced in the Honda Acura.
What is surprising however is the fact that car manufacturers still think voice commands in a car will ever take off.
We’ve lamented deeply about the lack of physical buttons in cars and if car manufacturers had their way, we might be seeing a world where all buttons are replaced by a screen and a voice assistant.
Personally, we wish that day would never come.
