CES 2024: Volkswagen to integrate ChatGPT into new models

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2024 (CES 2024) car manufacturer Volskwagen announced the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software in manufacturing.

This first for the automotive industry was presented alongside technology partner Cerence in Las Vegas.

The vehicle powerhouse is set to incorporate the chatbot into the IDA voice assistant feature of forthcoming cars as soon as March 2024.

Democratizing technology

Member of the Board of Management Volkswagen Brand for Technical Development, Kai Grünitz, said, “Volkswagen has always democratized technology and made it accessible to the many.”

Volskwagen’s CES 2024 announcement stated the ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, the all-new Tiguan, and the all-new Passat, as well as the new Golf, will all feature this integrated chatbot.

The Volkswagen board member goes on to say, “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.”

Current Volkswagen owners with the MEB and MQB EVO models from VW Group will have access to the IDA voice assistant and the Ai chatbot via Cerence Chat Pro.

CEO of Cerence, Stefan Ortmanns, said of the partnership, “With Cerence Chat Pro, VW is empowered with an automotive-grade ChatGPT integration that offers unmatched flexibility, customization, and ease of deployment while prioritizing security and usability for drivers.”

The announcement by Volkswagen reassures owners that personal data is not shared and that the questions and related answers are deleted immediately “to ensure the highest possible level of data protection.”