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Dive Brief:

• Volkswagen of America is partnering with Google to bring the tech company’s Gemini and Vertex generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to the vehicle owner experience, according to a press release.

• The automaker is deploying Google’s generative AI capabilities in its myVW owners app to power a new myVW Virtual Assistant and provide vehicle owners with smoother access to critical vehicle information and services.

• The generative AI capabilities are currently available for Volkswagen’s My24 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Using the AI-powered app, vehicle owners will be able to search their owners’ manuals by simply posing a question, such as “How do I change a tire?”

Dive Insight:

Volkswagen’s integration of generative AI into its app could help improve the overall customer experience, generating brand loyalty and an avenue to learn more about driver behavior.

Manufacturer-created apps have become a major part of the modern auto-ownership experience. According to JD Power, nearly three-quarters of traditional, internal-combustion car owners use original equipment manufacturer apps to accomplish tasks like remote start, locking and unlocking their cars, addressing diagnostic problems and interacting with dealerships. That percentage goes up to 90% for electric-vehicle owners.

Volkwagen’s enhanced app uses Google’s AI tools, including Google Cloud’s Vertex and BigQuery, to create Gemini models for multiple data sources, including owners’ manuals, frequently asked questions, help center articles, official Volkswagen YouTube videos and step-by-step guides. The app’s interface will enable users to ask simple questions, like how to change a tire or to provide information on a dashboard indicator light. Multi-modal capabilities in the app will enable users to get information on indicator lights by simply pointing their smartphone cameras at their vehicle dashboards.

“The myVW mobile app helps us advance our promise of unparalleled customer service and exceptional value for our Volkswagen vehicle owners,” said Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president of customer experience and brand marketing for Volkswagen Group of America, in a statement. “The myVW app and Virtual Assistant effectively bring a collection of different points of information into one place, giving our owners the support they value from Volkswagen.”

As interest and investment in generative AI surges, Google has integrated its new tools through collaborations with a range of brands and agencies. Google in April announced a partnership with WPP that combines the tech company's generative AI tools with the agency holding company's proprietary marketing and advertising data. Previously, the Estée Lauder Companies deepened its relationship with Google Cloud to include more applications of generative AI.