Volkswagen, in partnership with Bosch, is spearheading innovation in electric vehicle infrastructure. The duo is testing an autonomous parking and charging system designed to streamline electric car charging in large parking lots. Simultaneously, VW has revealed plans to incorporate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its vehicles, heralding a new era of conversational interaction with cars.
Cariad, Volkswagen’s software arm, and Bosch aim to revolutionize parking and charging for electric cars through an automated system. This involves directing driverless electric vehicles to available parking spaces equipped with charging stations, where charging robots seamlessly handle the charging process. Once charged, the cars autonomously relocate to free spaces, allowing the charging robot to assist another electric vehicle.
Testing is underway at two German locations: the Cariad staff parking lot in Ingolstadt and the Bosch parking lot in Ludwigsburg. Bosch envisions this technology alleviating current challenges in electric vehicle charging, including long queues, blocked stations due to delayed cable disconnection, and manual cable handling.
Simultaneously, Volkswagen has announced its plans to integrate ChatGPT into its vehicle lineup from the second quarter of 2024. This OpenAI-powered chatbot will be available across all VW models, including popular ones like Tiguan, Passat, Golf, and the ID family of electric vehicles. Initially launching in Europe, the feature will later extend to the U.S. market.
Volkswagen utilizes ChatGPT to enhance its in-car voice assistant, IDA, enabling more naturalistic communication between the car and the driver. Users can control basic functions like heating and air conditioning or seek answers to general questions through voice commands. Importantly, VW ensures user privacy, avoiding the need for new accounts or additional app installations. The chatbot activation occurs through a simple greeting or a press of a button on the steering wheel, with VW emphasizing data protection by promptly deleting questions and answers to uphold user privacy. As Volkswagen accelerates its foray into innovative technology, the integration of ChatGPT represents a significant stride toward more interactive and user-friendly vehicles.
