After having introduced in-car generative-AI-enabled voice assistants to South Korea and the USA, Kia will also permit a select customer base in Europe to use the system. Dubbed AI Assistant, the service allows users to inquire about their cars from features to capabilities, including route planning, music listening, and general information. The conversations can be smooth because the assistant understands intent and context, as per the company.
AI Assistant is now installed in the new Kia EV3 owners across Europe. All the units built starting March 2025 will leave the factory with this feature already enabled, while older models will receive it through over-the-air software updates.
Other cars armed with Kia's Connected Car Navigation Cockpit hardware will soon follow for the speech assistant. It was introduced on the Kia EV3 in Korea in the middle of 2024 and on the Kia K4 in the USA in November. This replaces the company's previous voice command recognizer feature. No word yet as to when this feature becomes applicable for Kia models in India.
The AI Assistant drivers can access through pressing a button on the steering wheel or using the command "Hey Kia." It is said by the company that it will be developed constantly, and new features will periodically be added through over-the-air updates.
Examples of how a driver could make use of the AI Assistant include learning about car features and capabilities for specific situations such as driving in heavy traffic, setting the temperature of the cabin, planning engagements, requesting music as a feeling description, getting ideas for restaurants or points of interest around them, and general searches.
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