TomTom, a location technology specialist, has partnered with tech giant Microsoft to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based conversational assistant for vehicles. According to the Dutch company, the new assistant will enable more advanced voice interaction with infotainment, location search, and vehicle command systems, allowing drivers to 'converse naturally with their vehicles.'

The AI-powered assistant is built on Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service, which leverages OpenAI's large language models (LLMs) and other Microsoft products like Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Cognitive Services. The generative AI (GenAI) technology allows TomTom's assistant to handle complex voice commands, enabling drivers to ask for directions to a specific location, find stops along their route, and control onboard systems such as adjusting the temperature or changing the radio station.

Why does it matter?

The assistant is integrated into TomTom's Digital Cockpit, an open and modular in-vehicle infotainment platform. This means that the new technology can be integrated into a variety of interfaces, allowing automotive companies to retain their distinctive branding. Microsoft owns 49% of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI's for-profit subsidiary, with plans to invest ten (10) billion USD in the company. Following the startup's boardroom crisis with the firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft is now under US and UK antitrust scrutiny.

The partnership between TomTom and Microsoft builds on previous collaborations, starting in 2016, with TomTom powering Azure Maps location services. The goal of this new project is to bring GenAI's benefits to the global automotive industry, providing car manufacturers and drivers with innovative AI-powered tools.