Volkswagen ID.4, Updated Golf Will Feature ChatGPT AI System

• Volkswagen plans to integrate ChatGPT—an artificial-intelligence-based system—on models with its latest infotainment system.

• The new chatbot feature expands on existing voice controls by recognizing more than explicit commands, and its capabilities will continuously evolve.

• VW hasn't yet confirmed the AI system will appear in U.S. models like the ID.4 SUV and updated 2025 Golf GTI, but it will debut in other markets later this year.

It was only a matter of time until artificial intelligence begins to make its way into our automobiles. Volkswagen has the distinction of being the first mass-market automaker to tip the scales with the introduction of a ChatGPT-based system that responds to voice commands.

VW today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showed off the new virtual assistant it has dubbed "IDA." Simply say, "Hello IDA" or hit a button on the steering wheel to bring the feature to life much like activating an Amazon Alexa device or Apple's Siri function. While BMW, Mercedes, and other automakers offer similar voice-activated systems, VW alone uses ChatGPT, which is facilitated through the company's partnership with Cerence Inc.

We had the opportunity to participate in a live demonstration of the new cloud-based software, which was operated through a VW ID.7's large touchscreen infotainment system. Along with quick responses that were almost always clearly understood, what stood out was the type of questions that we could ask that the system would understand.