New VWs will answer some of your questions with ChatGPT

Volkswagen has announced it’s rolling out its improved in-car AI voice assistant, IDA, with both locally processed and cloud-based responses from ChatGPT and other models, starting on September 6th. The first cars getting the feature will be the 2025 Jetta and Jetta GLI and the 82kWh battery version of the 2024 ID.4, with other cars getting it later this year.

Drivers in cars that support ChatGPT will need to be subscribed to VW’s Plus Speech with AI service to get it. Down the line, the company says most of its 2025 models will get the new AI voice assistance features, including the ID.4 and ID Buzz (which will both get it free for three years) and the GTI, Golf R, and Tiguan (free for one year). Jetta, Jetta GLI, and Taos owners will need to subscribe on their own. Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models won’t get ChatGPT until 2026, Volkswagen says.

The company previously announced its ChatGPT integration plan at CES in January. At the time, it wasn’t clear how it would all work. Volkswagen says that OpenAI’s chatbot along with a “multitude” of other models are provided by automotive chatbot company Cerence, which will take over for IDA when requests are more complex than tweaking your air conditioning settings. For instance, the company says when drivers ask for things like restaurant recommendations or for the chatbot to tell you a story, that will go to the cloud.

IDA can locally process natural language requests for certain things, Volkswagen claims. Tell it you’re “chilly,” and it should know you mean you want the heat on. (Here’s hoping it doesn’t sometimes kick that over to ChatGPT to tell you about nearby Chili’s restaurants.)