Mercedes Drivers to Have Access to ChatGPT in Their Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz, known for its luxury vehicles, announced on June 15th that a select group of their car owners will now have the option to power their cars with ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. This test program, starting on June 16th, will allow drivers to download ChatGPT over the air after opting in through the Mercedes app or by voice command. Approximately 900,000 vehicles equipped with the ‘MBUX’ system are compatible with ChatGPT.

Unlocking New Potentials

The purpose of this three-month test is for Mercedes to observe how drivers utilise the technology. One of the main advantages of integrating ChatGPT into the car system is that it will enhance the naturalness of the answers provided by the AI, enabling drivers to request destination information or even seek advice on what to cook for dinner. Mercedes vehicles already respond to a variety of voice commands, such as activating seat heaters.

Microsoft, which offers a version of ChatGPT through its cloud, stands to benefit financially from this partnership. As Amazon.com has been actively working on incorporating its voice assistant, Alexa, into cars, Microsoft has found its answer by investing in ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI.

Capabilities of This Tech Advancement

As per a Mercedes press release, drivers can issue commands by simply saying “Hey Mercedes”. They will also be able to engage in conversations with their cars. Microsoft also unveiled future integrations or plug-ins. These will likely allow drivers to perform tasks such as making restaurant reservations and booking movie tickets, all from behind the steering wheel.

The findings from this test program will help Mercedes shape future plans for incorporating artificial intelligence into its vehicles in other countries and languages. The company ensures that voice data is stored anonymously and analysed in the Mercedes cloud.

Is This The Future of Auto Tech?

In March, General Motors also expressed interest in exploring the application of ChatGPT in their vehicles as part of their broader collaboration with Microsoft. ChatGPT gained significant attention when it was made available for public use last year. This generative AI system provides nuanced responses to questions and verbal tasks, closely resembling human-like interaction. It is even capable of generating code. Its launch sparked a global debate about the implications of AI and its impact on humanity’s future. As a result, the release of ChatGPT has sparked a frenzy within the global tech community to develop more generative AI systems.