Kia recently unveiled its new compact electric SUV, the EV3. However, it seems that global car companies are increasingly interested in integrating artificial intelligent technology into their vehicles. The automotive company announced that the Kia EV3 will feature a new voice assistant based on the ChatGPT chatbot developed by OpenAI.
The Kia EV3 and its smart assistant are expected to be launched in the Korean market in July 2024, followed by Europe in the second half of the year. Kia is expected to expand car sales to other regions after its introduction in Europe, with the United States eventually being a target, although the company has not specified a definite date for that.
However, this is not just a full collaboration with
Voice assistants in cars are not a new concept, but drivers’ experience with them varies between being unhelpful and customers’ reluctance to talk to the car. Car companies such as BMW, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have stated that Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances the capabilities of voice assistants, allowing them to interact with drivers and passengers more naturally and smoothly in conversation. Discussions about the application of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the automotive industry increased last year when interest peaked, with Mercedes-Benz adding the Smart Conversational Robot to its MBUX infotainment system in June 2023. In the same year, BMW and Volkswagen showcased this technology at the CES technology exhibition in Las Vegas in January. The Kia assistant first appeared in April in the new compact sedan K4, which runs on gasoline and is set to be released in the market this summer. The Kia EV3 is the company’s first fully electric car with the new AI-powered smart assistant.
