DS Automobiles - the French premium arm of the vast Stellantis Group - has announced that it will use ChatGPT artificial intelligence in its cars.
Available on all DS models
The move - which might be seen as controversial in some circles - will boost the capabilities of the voice control setup in DS' IRIS infotainment system. The idea, says DS, is that it will allow: "users the opportunity to access useful information and to complete a multitude of tasks while ensuring that the driver can maintain their concentration on the road." The system will be available on the entire DS lineup.
However, and this is good news for anyone who cares to opt out of the AI revolution, ChatGPT will be available as an optional extra and indeed will be offered as a subscription service. DS has said that the first 20,000 customers to sign up will get the service free for the first six months.
'Create a childrens' story'
"ChatGPT technology uses language models to understand and generate a natural and fluid interaction. By learning from huge amounts of data, ChatGPT can answer an impressive variety of questions and provide accurate and relevant information" said a DS spokesperson. "For example, drivers will be able to ask it for the most beautiful cultural or artistic places to visit during a trip to Bordeaux, to list the most beautiful works kept at the Louvre Museum, to invent a quiz on their favourite subject, or even to create a children's story during a trip. All these ideas, and much more, can now be topics of conversation with IRIS speech recognition, through the support of ChatGPT artificial intelligence in all DS IRIS system equipped DS Automobiles models."
The system works just like a conventional voice control setup - you either push a button on the steering wheel, or just say "OK, IRIS" to get it to respond.
High-tech revolution
Olivier Francois, CEO of DS Automobiles, said, "Our mission at DS is to provide our customers with a unique onboard experience. As pioneers in the integration of ChatGPT into the automotive world, we are making a generative artificial intelligence that is fluid, intuitive and immersive accessible, transforming every trip into a unique journey. It is a high-tech revolution with unlimited potential that is part of one of the greatest 21st century societal transformations."
Yves Bonnefont, Chief Software Officer of Stellants, parent company of DS Automobiles said "Even knowing all the inner workings and binary computations that allow ChatGPT to interact with its user, there is a certain fascination with how this conversational artificial intelligence model works. Its ability to interact is certainly one of the most striking applications of AI of the past year around the world. Since ChatGPT has been available, we've worked to integrate it into our own systems. And we are pleased to be the first to offer this innovation in Europe. This development is part of Stellantis' strategic focus, within the Dare Forward 2030 strategy."