If a new collaboration between automotive giant Mercedes-Benz and tech titan Microsoft pushes through, your next car may already have ChatGPT built into its user experience.
While Mercedes’ premium vehicles line already has a number of voice-driven capabilities, the integration of a generative AI tool like ChatGPT would bring smoother control along with a host of more advanced features. to make driving easier, safer, and certainly more interactive.
Mercedes’ current voice-command systems involve the use of the spoken phrase “Hey, Mercedes” followed by short commands for a number of actions like navigating to a specific destination, increasing or decreasing the temperature within to suit the comfort of passengers, and even place phone calls via Bluetooth.
But the inclusion of Microsoft’s controversial generative AI tool will allow for a more natural flow with regard to the interaction between a human driver and the AI system. As opposed to just obeying commands, it may now be possible to have a natural-sounding conversation between driver and vehicle.
As a result, vehicles equipped with ChatGPT will have the ability to consider and recall the context of discussions in order to be able to converse with either the driver or passengers.
In doing so, such systems can respond to a greater number of commands, even those that aren’t directly related to the driving experience. Indeed, one can ask ChatGPT aboard for everything from recipes to travel tips. These AI-enhanced in-vehic systems can also interact with other mobile applications in order to perform a wide range of tasks.
For now, American Mercedes’ owners whose vehicles are outfitted with the MBUX infotainment system can help beta test the inclusion of ChatGPT. As of Friday, June 16th, those with MBUX can activate ChatGPT on board with the voice command “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program.”
