The use of screens in cars has become a heated topic in the automotive industry. Many drivers are frustrated with touch screens that require multiple presses to access functions that were once easily accessible through dedicated buttons. In a recent survey, car buyers expressed their dissatisfaction with the trend of ever-larger screens in vehicles. One manufacturer even went as far as to claim that Android Auto and similar systems are dangerous distractions for drivers, although they later retracted that statement. While Android Auto is proven to be a preferred system for drivers, screens continue to receive a lot of criticism.
Google may have a solution to this problem by utilizing AI to minimize unnecessary distractions while driving. One new functionality that will be introduced is the ability for Google Assistant to summarize messages received on a mobile device, eliminating the need for drivers to look at their screens and divert their eyes from the road.
The technology behind this feature is not entirely new, as text-to-speech capabilities have been used in the past. However, Google’s use of AI will take this functionality to the next level by having Assistant summarize the content of messages and chat groups in brief, concise sentences, allowing drivers to receive important information without having to read the full text.
For example, if a driver receives a long text while on the road, they can ask Assistant to summarize it. The AI will read and understand the important parts before delivering a voice message that highlights what the driver needs to know. Google has confirmed that this feature will be available in Android Auto and will be able to summarize long messages, as well as multiple messages from the same user in a group.
In terms of privacy, Google has assured that this feature does not save messages or their summaries, and will not be used to train Google models like Gemini. While there may be errors in the summaries due to the technology still being in its early stages, this new functionality aims to enhance the driving experience by minimizing distractions and keeping the focus on the road.
