Apple CarPlay Just Got A Big AI Upgrade Thanks To Google
Gemini, Google’s AI-enabled voice assistant, is now compatible with Apple CarPlay.
The internet-connected assistant can deliver hands-free conversations.
Drivers can tell Gemini to brief them on what their calendar has in store, what the last emails said, and what cool spots are around.
Something that would have been unimaginable five years ago is now reality. Google’s Gemini AI voice assistant can now be used on Apple CarPlay by iPhone users, breaking some of the barriers that have traditionally been in place between the two tech giants.
Starting today, Gemini users on iOS devices can open the app on CarPlay and pick up where they left off on their smartphone. The AI-powered chatbot can take multi-point questions and offer natural-sounding answers. It can also browse through the user’s emails and other productivity apps to come up with relevant answers—if the user has enabled the necessary permissions.
According to Google, Gemini on CarPlay was designed to work like a conversational driving companion that minimizes distraction. To start Gemini, the driver has to press the app icon on the car screen’s app drawer or side rail—it doesn’t wake up via voice commands. That said, after it’s front and center, Gemini can talk back and forth at the driver’s pace, even if it’s interrupted while it’s answering a question.
The American tech company said in an official blog post that Gemini on CarPlay can help the driver get ready for the day ahead. They can ask what’s on their calendar, when they need to leave for their next appointment, or talk through what they want to say before they arrive at a meeting.
An inbox recap is also possible, as Gemini can connect to Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Google Calendar. Exploring local spots and landmarks while driving is also part of the chatbot’s feature list. All conversations on CarPlay are automatically synced to the Gemini app on the iPhone, so the driver can recap chats after they park.
Google Gemini on Apple CarPlay
Photo by: Google
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Gemini on Apple CarPlay is rolling out globally to all Gemini users on iOS now. All supported Gemini Live languages are included. To get Gemini to pop up on CarPlay, the latest version of the app needs to be installed on the iPhone, microphone permissions need to be enabled, and Gemini Live needs to have been used at least once on the phone. If all of these prerequisites are met, the next time the iPhone is connected to CarPlay, the Gemini app will appear on the display, ready for a new conversation or to pick up an old one.
The Gemini app’s CarPlay integration is just the latest move from Google to flood iPhones with its AI-enabled chatbot. Last month, the Alphabet-owned tech company embedded Gemini into the CarPlay mode of its Maps GPS navigation app.