Mercedes Utilizes ChatGPT Technology in Automobiles

Mercedes-Benz is incorporating ChatGPT into its in-car voice assistant with the help of Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service. The popular natural-language model will be offered to select US customers in a three-month beta program, with the possibility of a wider and longer-term implementation in the future.

ChatGPT integration could put the automaker’s “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant on steroids. Instead of responding to simple and pre-programmed commands like “Turn up the heat” or “What’s the forecast,” it can have natural conversations about virtually any topic, including contextual follow-up questions. (Kids of the 1980s can finally live out their Knight Rider fantasies.) In addition, Mercedes says it’s “exploring” ChatGPT extensions that allow things like making restaurant reservations or booking movie tickets using natural language.

While having a long conversation on the road can lead to distracted driving, the mere sound of talking should reduce concerns about inattention. Maybe it could even help by answering questions you’d otherwise be tempted to look at your phone behind the wheel.

Mercedes and Microsoft tout Azure’s “enterprise-grade security, privacy and reliability” when it comes to data protection. However, the companies clarify that your conversations “are stored in the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud, where they are anonymized and analyzed.” In other words, we assume people are listening to your recordings for training and data analysis purposes, so be careful not to say anything private or that could identify you personally.

The three-month beta starts on June 16 and only covers select Mercedes models with the MBUX infotainment system. (You can view the list of eligible vehicles in the footnotes here.) To participate in the program as a qualifying model, tell the car’s built-in voice assistant: “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program.”