Volkswagen to use ChatGPT artificial intelligence tech in its future cars

German car giant Volkswagen has announced its future vehicles will be equipped with ChatGPT technology – giving its infotainment systems a new level of artificial intelligence software.

At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Volkswagen unveiled a pre-production, camouflaged version of the facelifted Golf GTI hot hatch, with ChatGPT software integrated in the car’s infotainment system.

Volkswagen claims it is the “first volume manufacturer” to use ChatGPT in its cars – though last year fellow German car giant Mercedes-Benz launched a ‘beta’ trial of the technology in certain models.

VW says ChatGPT is being implemented within its ‘IPA’ voice assistant software, with in-house VW-designed parts of the system controlling vehicle functions such as air conditioning and the sunroof, while the AI can answer general knowledge questions.

While Volkswagen’s own voice assistant technology will continue to be activated by saying “Hello IDA” or pressing a steering wheel button, the vehicle designates which commands can be handled by its own systems or is a task better suited to ChatGPT.

From a security perspective, Volkswagen has assured potential future users that ChatGPT will not access vehicle data, while any questions asked of and answered by the technology are immediately deleted.

The German car-maker says ChatGPT will roll out in certain new models – such as the updated Golf, Tiguan, ID.4 and ID.5 – from the second quarter of 2024 (April to June), though it is not yet clear when the technology will come to Australia.