General Motors announced it will integrate a conversational AI assistant powered by Google Gemini into its vehicles starting in 2026, as revealed at the GM Forward media event.
The Gemini-powered assistant is set to replace the current “Google built-in” operating system available in many GM vehicles, which provides access to Google Maps and Google Assistant. The new system is designed to perform similar functions with improved performance, accessing vehicle data to detect maintenance issues and alert the driver, assist with route planning, explain vehicle features, and allow for remote control of the car’s heating and air conditioning before the driver enters.
GM executives highlighted the system’s enhanced natural language understanding, with GM VP Dave Richardson noting that current voice assistants can be frustrating due to their limitations in understanding accents and code words. “One of the challenges with current voice assistants is that, if you’ve used them…you’ve probably also been frustrated by them because they’re trained on certain code words or they don’t understand accents very well or if you don’t say it quite right, you don’t get the right response,” Richardson said. “What’s great about large language models is they don’t seem to be affected by that.”
A new capability introduced with the Gemini integration is web integration, allowing drivers to ask the chatbot location-based questions. For example, a driver can ask about the history of a bridge they are passing over.
Following its launch, the Gemini assistant will be distributed as an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade through the Play Store, available for OnStar-equipped vehicles, including models dating back to 2015. Concurrently, GM is developing its own separate AI chatbot, described as being “custom-built for your vehicle,” though no release date for this project has been provided.
In response to recent privacy concerns, GM stated that the Gemini integration will feature robust privacy controls. Richardson noted that the software will allow drivers to control what information the assistant can access and use. This follows a recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) action that banned GM from selling driver data for five years after the company was found to be selling customer information from its OnStar Smart Driver program to insurance companies without user consent.
At the same event, GM outlined other future initiatives, including the rollout of its self-driving platform in 2028 and the development of its own proprietary computing platform, scheduled to launch in the same year. In line with this strategy, GM will phase out support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles over the next few years.
