The Kia EV3 – the brand new all-electric compact SUV unveiled on Thursday – highlights the growing desire amongst global automakers to integrate generative AI into their vehicles.
The automaker said the Kia EV3 will feature a brand new voice assistant based on ChatGPT, the text-generating AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. The Kia EV3 and its AI assistant will initially launch in Korea in July 2024, followed by Europe within the second half of the yr. Kia expects to expand sales of the vehicle to other regions following its European launch. Eventually it’ll come to the US, however the automaker hasn't given a date yet.
However, this isn’t a purely OpenAI matter. Kia was also involved in the event of the voice assistant.
Pablo Martinez, head of customer experience design at Kia, explained that while the massive language model (LLM) behind the AI assistant is ChatGPT, it has been “heavily modified” and customised by the automaker. These modifications were made to permit customers to plan trips, control the vehicle and find entertainment, including music or games, through the brand new Kia Assistant, Martinez said during a media briefing before the disclosing.
Voice assistants in vehicles are nothing recent. But the experience for drivers ranges from useless to oh my god, why am I yelling at my automotive? Automakers like BMW, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen argue that generative AI will make voice assistants much more powerful and provides them the power to interact with drivers and passengers in a natural, conversational way.
Discussion about applying generative AI in vehicles increased last yr as the subject – and the startup OpenAI – reached the hype stratosphere. Mercedes-Benz added the conversational AI bot to its MBUX infotainment system in June 2023. In January, BMW and Volkswagen showcased the technology on the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas.
The Kia Assistant was first introduced in April within the Kia K4, the brand new compact petrol sedan launching this summer. The Kia EV3 is the primary fully electric vehicle in the corporate's portfolio to receive the brand new AI-based assistant.
