The updated Volkswagen Golf, to be revealed in a matter of days, is equipped with a ChatGPT voice assistant that can be used to control various vehicle functions and provide information and entertainment.
To be rolled out across the Volkswagen line-up, the new system is designed to be more “conversational” and “natural” than the current in-house voice assistant.
It can turn the heating up when a passenger says “I’m cold” or find a nearby shop if they say “I need bread” but can also provide more extensive information and entertainment functions, for example reading out detailed dinner recipes or children’s stories on the move.
The move comes as Volkswagen rethinks its approach to interior design for its next-generation cars, including the Golf, with a focus on reintroducing physical, simple switchgear to boost utility.
Asked why it's introducing a new voice-control function in light of that approach, technical development boss Kai Grünitz told Autocar: “In China, they want to do everything with the speech dialogue system – adjust their seats, open the tailgate. In the [US], they want to have huge switches with a great feeling to the touch and feel, and in Europe something in between.
"We will see how the customer demands will change in the next month or years; we're prepared to do both worlds.
“For me, it’s more than a gimmick. We know from our studies of home systems how you use your [Amazon] Alexa, for example, or your [Amazon] Echo, and you can have the same convenience and seamless interaction with your vehicle.”
In response to the suggestion that some users might have concerns about sharing data with their car in this way, Grünitz said: “You will agree to the terms of use like you do with your smartphone. If you don’t want to use it, you just say, and then there's no data exchange.”
He said that between 70 and 80% of Volkswagen's EV customers choose to be "online" in this way and said there was a “challenge to convince the customers, with functionality, that this is a great function for daily use”.
Join the debate
Add your comment
How many times have VW group products announced an improved voice assistant? We've almost always had at least one VW group product in the family since Y2k, but the reliability of their tech seems to go down each time a new car arrives. I'd just settle for the car to connect to my phone on a regular basis without error. Is that too much to ask?
Skoda's 'Laura' is a complete and utter waste of time. She is to a concierge what Faulty Tower's Manuel is to porters. Que?
If it's not a gimmick make it optional equipment, then let's see how many people are prepared to pay for this bs.
we've had the screen thing for yonks, my two had portable screens that attached to the head rests with a Velcro strap, a virtual assistant that can understand whatvever language or dialect or regional accent would be an improvement because that what puts people off just now, still, I think there still a distraction for some.
I have no idea why you replied to my post with info regarding your dvd screens attached to head rests.
Or, as a reference to the fact that screens were in cars for the kids in the backseats to keep them amused, whereas VW and others want a screen with a voice,and electronic butler to saving there tiny digits from having to press a button,so, if your driving along, do put your tunes on or half watch a film?
Your reference to dvd screens and velco has nothing to do with the article