Mercedes-Benz on Monday unveiled a new virtual assistant at the CES electronics trade show that can provide context-based suggestions and interact with users, marking another step forward in the use of artificial intelligence in cars.
The company says the assistant can speak different emotions in different tones and ask intelligent questions to clarify what exactly is being asked.
“The car is a dialogue partner. You can ask questions, you can have a conversation, you can be more productive,” Mercedes chief technology officer Markus Schäfer said at a press roundtable in Las Vegas.
The assistant will be introduced in vehicles including the automaker’s new all-electric CLA-Class concept for its small four-door models, and will debut in North America at a trade show.
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Because electric vehicle hardware is less complex and less variable than internal combustion engine vehicles, automakers are looking to differentiate themselves with software products.
Voice assistant technology in cars is becoming increasingly sophisticated, from the use of personalized avatars to generative AI techniques.
Volkswagen on Monday unveiled its first vehicle with a voice assistant that integrates ChatGPT technology, allowing drivers to read out their searches while driving.
Volkswagen said the assistant will be able to interact with users by the middle of this year, remembering previous questions and answering them accordingly.
Mercedes-Benz said that an additional feature of the new voice assistant is a plausibility check of the responses provided. Check cloud data and customer self-reported recommendations, such as when a recommended restaurant or shop is closed.
“We feel like we have an obligation if we’re going to put something in our cars that we can rely on for information,” Schaefer said.
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