(Vélizy-Villacoublay) “It’s a real interactive travel companion”: the French brand DS Automobiles is offering its customers from Thursday the opportunity to communicate while driving with ChatGPT artificial intelligence, the first initiative of its kind in Europe.
In the cozy cabin of a DS9, a slightly metallic and choppy voice rings out: “For the birthday of your little cousin who likes science fiction comics, I can recommend these three books.”
She is Iris, the voice recognition system fitted to most DS Automobiles vehicles (Stellantis group), and set to become a real voice assistant, since engineers from the French brand looked at its cradle for it donate artificial intelligence (AI).
“We integrated ChatGPT into our cars so that Iris can answer all questions on all subjects,” explains Laurent Pognon, voice recognition product manager, to journalists present for a test. “History, geography, culture, the possibilities are endless,” he boasts. Especially since they can be associated with driving functions.
While driving, you can follow up on literary advice by requesting an “OK Iris”: when you ask where to buy one of the titles mentioned, several nearby bookstores appear on the screen. on board, just a click away to start GPS guidance.
20,000 customers
From Thursday, the first 20,000 customers to come forward among those with a DS3, DS4, DS7 or DS9 will be able to remotely connect their voice recognition system to the OpenAI dialoguer, in order to participate in a test phase which will last six months.
With this pilot phase, available in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany, “DS Automobiles will be the first brand in Europe to integrate ChatGPT into its vehicles,” boasts Philippe Houy, Connected Services manager.
At this stage, only the German manufacturer Mercedes has carried out a similar test this summer in the United States, without announcing the results of this pilot phase since.
“The benefits for the customer are having within earshot of ChatGPT’s gigantic reserve of knowledge during their journey,” and “in complete safety, since you keep your eyes on the road,” says Mr. Houy.
For him, “it goes even further: with AI, Iris becomes a real interactive travel companion”. “You can start a conversation, ask her for a quiz or a story for your children, contradict her, complete her answers,” he lists, “and in fact, at the end of your trip, you realize that you are talking with your car! »
“Revolution” or gadget?
With this new functionality, DS Automobiles wants to strengthen its premium positioning in the market, where it has sought since its creation in 2014 to embody “the art of French travel”, betting on luxury and French know-how.
In its launch press release, the Stellantis brand speaks of a “revolution in the automotive world”. But what is it really?
“It’s difficult to anticipate everything that could be disrupted by AI,” Flavien Neuvy, director of the Cetelem Observatory, told AFP, adding that “we are at the start of something.”
What will make the difference is “the acceptability of motorists”: “how they will appropriate this tool” and if “the contribution of ChatGPT in the car will instantly be seen as something essential” .
It will also be necessary to overcome their concerns about the use of personal data generated during exchanges. “Of course, the manufacturer will try to reassure” – DS Automobiles has already specified that it uses a paid version of ChatGPT which protects data – “but there is still this concern”, believes Mr. Neuvy.
When testing the vehicle, some difficulties persisted: the voice assistant was unavailable when the network was poor. In addition, its use partly takes up the driver’s attention.
He also logically shares ChatGPT’s faults: “if he doesn’t use the right sources, he could be wrong”, admits Philippe Houy, who however invites us to “challenge” the AI by pointing this out to it. “It’s a pilot, so everything is not perfect,” he emphasizes.
If the test is successful, this functionality will be deployed in other countries from the second quarter of 2024. It would be marketed in a package containing other functionalities, costing around 100 euros/year after three free years.