Mercedes-Benz Trials Voice Control System Powered by ChatGPT
Mercedes-Benz, the luxury car manufacturer, is embarking on a trial of a voice assistant system powered by ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence technology. The company recently announced that the beta feature is now available to owners of more than 900,000 vehicles equipped with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) interface in the United States.
To join the trial, Mercedes drivers can activate the AI-powered voice assistant by saying, “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program,” while inside their car. Alternatively, users can sign up through the manufacturer’s “me” application.
The integration of ChatGPT aims to enhance the existing voice control feature of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. While conventional voice assistants are often limited to predefined tasks and responses, ChatGPT utilizes a large language model to improve natural language understanding and expand the range of topics it can handle. Users will be able to ask the voice assistant various questions, whether related to driving or not, with the chatbot providing comprehensive answers.
Voice command data collected by the voice assistant will be stored in the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud system, anonymized, and analyzed for further improvements, according to the company.
The beta program is scheduled to run for three months, after which Mercedes-Benz will evaluate the feedback and decide whether to continue developing the ChatGPT-powered voice control feature.
In addition to this AI endeavor, Mercedes-Benz has been involved in blockchain-related projects for several years. The company partnered with non-fungible token (NFT) artists in 2022 to commemorate its G-Class series model, and it has utilized Ocean Protocol’s blockchain to collect user data since 2020. In 2018, Mercedes-Benz even introduced its own cryptocurrency as a reward for eco-friendly driving practices.
