(Credit: Volkswagen)
LAS VEGAS—Volkswagen will integrate ChatGPT into its vehicles in the second quarter of 2024, making it the first large car manufacturer to offer it as a standard feature.
There are a few limitations to keep in mind, though. For one, it's only available in Europe to start, with no information yet on if and when it might be available for US drivers.
"We usually introduce features first in Europe," says Mark Gilles, director of public relations at Volkswagen Group of America. "In this case, we can’t announce it yet for the US because we haven’t taken the final decision."
The chatbot will be included in the latest generation of the ID.7, which debuted at CES 2023, as well as the ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, the all-new Tiguan, all-new Passat, and the new Golf.
So, what would you do with ChatGPT in your car? Volkswagen says it can automate in-vehicle functions such as controlling the infotainment, air conditioning, and navigation systems, but it can also be used to answer general knowledge questions as you drive to solve those on-the-road debates and trivia questions.
"In the future, AI will provide additional information in response to questions that go beyond this as part of its continuously expanding capabilities," Volkswagen 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 voice assistant is activated by saying “Hello IDA.” The vehicle will first try to execute your request using the vehicle’s system, after which it will be forwarded anonymously to AI if ChatGPT needs to get involved.
ChatGPT will not gain access to any data about your vehicle during the discussion, and Volkswagen says that questions and answers are deleted immediately to ensure privacy.
While it might be the first high-volume manufacturer to bring ChatGPT to its vehicles, Volkswagen isn’t the only one eyeing the technology. GM Vice President Scott Miller said in April that soon “ChatGPT is going to be in everything," while Mercedes teased a ChatGPT integration in June.