Continental, Google Team to Deploy In-Vehicle Chatbots

Automotive supplier Continental plans to put Google’s AI-enabled chatbot into vehicle cabins through a partnership announced at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany.

Without actually mentioning Google’s chatbot, called Bard, the two companies say they are equipping cars with the technology, which also will integrate Google Cloud capabilities directly into vehicle computers. This opens the door to the AI chatbot as a voice assistant so users can interact with their car in natural dialogue.

The companies claim the system will be able to assist the driver in multiple ways, from answering what the correct tire pressure of the vehicle should be when fully loaded, to listing known local points of interest on the route and at the prescribed destination.

The driver can also ask follow-up questions without repeating the whole context, as Google Cloud’s conversational generative AI interprets the context correctly. Continental’s onboard technology gives the system access to specific vehicle information, such as the operating manual. AI-powered machine learning allows the system to constantly learn, create new content and adapt to the user’s preferences.

Continental’s Smart Cockpit High-Performance Computer claims to expand the functions for instrumentation, entertainment and driver assistance while reducing development time and effort, complexity and costs for automakers.

Philipp von Hirschheydt, member of Continental’s executive board and head of the automotive group sector, says: “Together with Google, we are bringing artificial intelligence to the vehicle cockpit and are creating an intuitive experience for drivers. Based on our Smart Cockpit High-Performance Computer, we expect our solution to be ready for production within just 18 months’ development time. This is how our vision of software-defined vehicles starts to become a reality.”

“We are excited to partner with Continental,” says Daniel Holz, vice president, North EMEA at Google Cloud. “We’ll combine our expertise in software, AI and cloud computing with Continental’s deep knowledge of the automotive industry. Together, we can create a new generation of digital automotive solutions that are more convenient and improve safety for drivers and passengers.”

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