Google, Mercedes Partnership Adds Conversational AI to Cars
Mercedes-Benz is adding conversational capabilities to its virtual assistant with the help of Google.
The expanded partnership between the carmaker and the tech giant will employ Google Cloud’s Automotive AI Agent and Mercedes’ MBUX Virtual Assistant, according to a Monday (Jan. 13) news release.
The artificial intelligence agent is designed for the auto industry and can reference information from Google Maps to give drivers more detailed and personalized conversational responses about things like navigation and points of interest, per the release.
“Google Maps platform provides Mercedes-Benz owners with fresh and factual information about 250 million places around the world, and the map is updated nearly in real time, with over 100 million updates made to the map each day,” the release said.
Users can converse with the MBUX and get answers to queries like “Could you guide me to the nearest fine-dining restaurant for a unique culinary experience?” and then ask follow-up questions, such as “Does the restaurant have good reviews?” according to the release.
The new experience will be available as part of the virtual assistants built into Mercedes-Benz’s new CLA series later in the year, per the release.
“Google Cloud’s Automotive AI Agent will also enable the MBUX Virtual Assistant to handle complex, multi-turn dialog and can retain memory of conversations, which means users can continue conversations and reference information throughout their drives,” the release said.
The announcement is an extension of an earlier partnership announced between Google and Mercedes in 2023.
Partnerships between tech giants and car companies are transforming vehicles into “interconnected, software-driven products,” a movement being fueled by AI, PYMNTS reported this month.
Evidence of this digital transformation was on display at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where speakers discussed the software-focused reinvention hitting the automotive sector.
“The biggest change is the increasing importance of software,” Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid said during the show. “It defines the entire experience. I actually really love the comparison with smartphones because the big picture in the auto space is seeing a similar disruption to what happened in the phone space 20 years ago. It’s not about the specs of your engine. It’s about the types of experiences and features your car can offer.”
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