For years, voice assistants in cars were simply – bad.. Clumsy, irritating to use and often unable to understand even the most basic commands, they hindered more than helped.
Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, things are changing dramatically, and owners of select General Motors, Polestar and Volvo models will be among the first to feel the revolution. Google Gemini arrives and promises to end the era of useless digital co-drivers.
More natural conversations with your car
General Motors has announced that it will soon begin rolling out Google Gemini to approximately four million vehicles in the US that use the Android Automotive-based operating system, officially known as ‘Google built-in’. This upgrade replaces the old Google Assistant and represents a quantum leap in technology. Instead of speaking rigid, basic commands, it is possible to have a more natural, two-way conversation with Gemini. You can ask it to create a travel playlist on the fly, find reviews of restaurants you’re planning to visit, or even help you with family vacation ideas.
What makes it particularly powerful is the deep integration with vehicle systems, the result of Google’s close cooperation with manufacturers. This means you can ask car-specific questions like “What’s the current battery charge level?” or “How to prepare a vehicle for an automatic car wash?”. Gemini is not just an interface for infotainment, but becomes an intelligent system aware of the context of the vehicle in which it is located. The rollout will begin in English in the US, with Google planning to expand to other languages and countries in the coming months.
Which models are getting the upgrade?
The upgrade covers a wide range of vehicles produced from 2022 onwards under the umbrella of General Motors, which includes the brands Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. But GM is not the only one. Google Gemini is also integrated into the entire range of Polestar models sold in the US, and is joined by a large number of Volvo vehicles. The list includes the C40, EC40, EX40, XC40, S60, V60, XC60, V90, S90, XC90, as well as the upcoming EX90, ES90, EX30 and EX60.
Although Gemini was added to Android Auto last year as a smartphone mirroring option, it took several months to natively integrate into vehicles that use ‘Google built-in’ for their internal infotainment system. This step is crucial because it allows the assistant to access the functions of the car itself, independently of the connected phone. The demand for such systems is huge. Research shows that as many as 76 percent of US drivers surveyed would likely use generative AI capabilities in their vehicle if they were available.
The future is conversational
The move to Gemini is part of a broader trend in the development of conversational artificial intelligence, which strives for hyper-personalized experiences. The future brings multimodal interfaces that will combine voice, visual elements and gestures for even more intuitive interaction. For example, Google is already testing a “Continued Conversation” feature for its home devices, which eliminates the need to repeat the activation phrase “Hey Google” within the same conversation, a direction the car version is likely to take.
The market for digital assistants is already huge, with an estimated 8.4 billion active units in 2024. In the automotive industry, the future of voice assistants is closely linked to the development of autonomous vehicles. As drivers increasingly become passengers, voice commands will become the primary way to interact with the vehicle.