Mercedes-Benz plans to equip its CLA cars with Google’s AI assistant in 2025, according to a post on the American tech giant’s blog.

Google Cloud has introduced Automotive AI Agent, an AI-powered virtual assistant for automobiles built on Gemini, offering a range of functions. These include:

Enhanced driving experience through personalized and conversational interactions.
Natural language understanding, multilingual capabilities, and multimodality.
Toolkits for fine-tuning the neural network.
Seamless integration into existing vehicle architectures and operating systems.

“Automotive AI Agent enables automakers to develop highly personalized and intuitive AI agents that go beyond basic voice control,” the developers stated.

During the course of using the car, a driver could ask the AI assistant for directions to the nearest Italian restaurant and inquire about its reviews.

AI Integration with MBUX
By integrating AI into Mercedes’s MBUX multimedia system, the vehicle will offer real-time data from Google Maps. Drivers and passengers can use voice commands to access comprehensive information on nearby points of interest and traffic conditions.

The AI agent will allow MBUX to handle complex dialogs, including multiple turns and memory retention of the conversation.

Background and Partnerships
Earlier in 2024, Mercedes-Benz revealed plans to introduce an AI assistant into its automobiles. A year prior, the German company and Google announced a long-term strategic partnership to expedite automotive innovations.

Context

In August 2023, Mercedes-Benz signed a partnership with ByteDance’s cloud division, Volcano Engine, to collaborate on AI solutions.
In June 2023, the automaker announced voice controls powered by ChatGPT.