- Volvo, Polestar and GM all recently announced Gemini in cars
- Reddit users came together to express their distrust
- Early feedback suggests the system can be slow and clunky
Volvo, Polestar and General Motors recently announced that they have begun deploying Google Gemini across infotainment systems across their collective automotive portfolios, bringing seamless conversations and vehicle-specific information to Google-integrated vehicles.
Gemini, which is the company’s much-hyped AI assistant, is supposed to go far beyond the typical clunky manufacturer voice assistants that much of the driving population has come to despise.
Despite attempts to reduce driver distraction by allowing certain voice commands to activate things like the climate control or change radio stations, they have often proven frustrating because multiple commands must be used, or the software simply gives up and admits it can’t help.
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Gemini, on the other hand, is supposed to enable “natural conversation,” according to the tech giant, with the ability to seek out the perfect pit stop with seamless conversation.
“I need to eat lunch, find some highly rated restaurants along the way. I’m not in a rush, oh, and I’d like to eat out,” Google offers as an example, saying it will pull tons of data, including reviews, from Google Maps to help make a decision.
Drivers and passengers can then respond to other simple prompts, or ask Gemini to summarize text messages, tune the radio to something “jazzier” or reveal EV-specific data, like the battery level upon arrival or how long it will take to charge to reach a destination.
However, not all customers are happy with the system, and a quick scan of Reddit forums reveals a host of issues.
While not a completely accurate source, a number of users have complained about the clunky nature of the onboard Gemini, that it doesn’t understand voice prompts, its difficulties with third-party app integration, and that it’s too chatty, burying useful information (such as opening and closing times) in tons of unnecessary fluff.
But it’s concerns about driver data that seem to be at the heart of most arguments against Gemini inside the car.
Analysis: GM customers seem particularly skeptical
General Motors has repeatedly made headlines for its “questionable” infotainment decisions, removing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from all of its cars, choosing instead to rely on its native software so it can build a system capable of accessing vehicle data, rather than being isolated from it, as these “plug and play” solutions are.
However, many skeptics believe that GM, along with many other manufacturers, is doing this to gain control of driver data, a market expected to be worth between $300 billion and $800 billion by 2030.
One Reddit user posted: “The real story (and headline) should be: Google pays GM billions for driver data.”
Other users say they don’t trust a company with their “conversations,” given that GM and its OnStar service have already been barred from sharing certain consumer data with consumer reporting agencies.
While Stellantis also faces criticism for showing pop-up ads inside vehicles, it’s easy to see why distrust is growing over the growing number of connected technologies appearing in cars.
However, it is still early days in the field of embedded LLM integration. Like most AIs, they will likely improve quickly, and the experience described above could be very different in six months. Have you tried Gemini in your car? Tell us about your experience below in the comments.
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