Mercedes-Benz’s Virtual Assistant uses Google’s conversational AI agent

Mercedes-Benz has announced that its MBUX Virtual Assistant will utilize Google Gemini on the cloud, providing an enhanced driving experience. The new Mercedes CLA will be the first car to feature this technology, which is part of the next-generation MB.OS operating system. The MBUX Virtual Assistant has been upgraded to include an Automotive AI Agent platform, which promises to continue conversations and reference information throughout users' drives. This platform is designed to handle complex, multi-turn dialog and provide users with nearly real-time Google Maps updates. The MBUX Virtual Assistant will feature four personality traits, including natural, predictive, personal, and empathetic, and can ask questions for additional clarity. The existing MBUX Voice Assistant system can handle around 20 commands and now includes results provided by OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing. However, this system is not a conversational platform and will be upgraded to the new MBUX Virtual Assistant in further models. Google's AI Agent is tailor-made for automotive uses, leveraging Google Maps data to find points of interest and provide recommendations. The agent uses Gemini and runs on Google Cloud's Vertex AI development platform, which is designed to help companies build out AI experiences. The integration of Google Gemini with the MBUX Virtual Assistant is expected to transform the automotive industry, according to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who stated that this is just the beginning of how agentic capabilities can impact the industry.