Google, GM and Dolby weigh in AI in car systems

Industrial executives from Mobile,, General Motors and Dolby designs Wednesday said (March 12) that they saw a future where personal car turned into a rolling smartphone, able not just To enjoy the drivers But also to make them more productive – all while keeping them safe.

During a panel discussion of SXSW 2025 In Austin, TexasExecutives say the future of Automotive can many Smarter and charged. They see adding to movies to the movies, conjunction with productive tools such as teams or slacks, videconferencing with the zooming front of the back seats, and even playing.

Pymts Intelligence INFORMATION Appears that most of the carmakers are looking forward to artificial intelligence (AI) to play an important role in car technology. In fact, 75% of carmakers plans to add AI to cars within the year. And from SXSW panelists say, that technology is here.

Hands-Free Tech

Many parts are in the works: Google Assistant For Android auto the grown of many language models to offer drivers with no help of drivers, such as the vehicle information from the manual owner by voice, according to Greetchen effgenDirector of Global Automotive Partnerships on Google.

Alan WexlerSenior Vice President of Strategy and GM Innovation, the company’s Super Cruistial technology is highlighted, allowing driving GPS with vehicles logged over 280 million miles.

The Super Cruise “takes the tension of driving,” says Wexler, describes how drivers travel on the highwoods without touching the steering wheel. The system uses the sensors to monitor the driver’s eyes, make sure they remain viewed on the road even while their hands are free.

Many of the new services would Simultaneously a subscription fee. Wexler said the automobile hopes to see about $ 25 billion in subscription revenue each year In 2030.

For consumers concerned Payment Again after buying a car, Wexler says it’s up to them when subscribing or not. He said GM provides research-based options regarding customer’s subscription interest.

“We don’t try to force people to do anything. We give them CHOOSE“Wexler said.

Discussion centered on the panel of car capabilities, not cars cars. Wexler says GM is no longer maintaining robotaxi development. In December, GM sprimed cruise, its start Obtained In 2016 to enhance autonomy AUTO After years of failure to perform the technology task. Demise arrived after a handfull high profile Incidentsincluding a pedestrian a cruise av running after he was run by a person’s driver in 2023.

Wexler says GM absorbs the engineering workforce in its engineering and its intellectual property.

Read more: Report: GM cuts 1,000 cruise jobs after Robotaxi ends PROJECT

Dolby Atmos and Android Auto on Google

Yawe PankajVice President of America, Commercial collaboration with Dolby Laboratories, said his company cooperated with GM to make Dolmby Atmos Service available throughout the Automaker Cadillac Electric Vehicle 2026 lines.

Dolby Atmos An advanced audio technology that makes the sound moving around the listener in a more bad way. The sound is placed on top, behind or around the listener for a 360-degree experience.

Kedia says Cadillac Optiq has a Dolby Atmos sound system with 19 speakers. the The future model of Celestiq boast 23 speakers.

Kkedia explained that Dolby has moved away from the traditional channel-based audio of something based on the object is considered space instead of speaker establishing. “You make an experience that understands space, and then technology should give it to any number of speakers,” he said.

The car around is an ideal space for experienced audio experiences.

“You have ceilings to use space in certainly Take this experience that … the artist intended for you, “Kedia added.” This certainly a studio-like environment inside the car. “

Dolby has Lost as far as the invitation Musicians and creators to try their music to vehicles, which ensure the audience’s listening experience corresponds to artist’s goals.

“What happens to this system you get many more space around the sound. It’s not just about the number, but the explanation and detail, “says Kedia, explaining that the less audio experience makes a more natural hearing certainly Reduce the driver’s distraction.

Epgen says Google research team works very well MIT experts To develop instructions that would be reduced Differences while driving.

“We focus on reducing the number of touches and seeing far from the road,” says Epgen, adding that technology capabilities extend, salvation remains important.

Google’s auto times from open source of Android platform anoid to Google-built products, as well as business-based solutions.

Read more: 75% of automakers planned to join Gotai in vehicles YEAR

Resolve concerns

The panel mentions many concerns about emerging automotive technologies, including driver’s distraction, data privacy service and subscription.

Regarding distraction, Wexler says GM focuses on customer research and telemetry data to find out how drivers interact with different parts. “Salvation is the most important thing,” he states, which GM is kept carefully at the driver’s attention during hand driving.

In the data privacy, Wexler says most of the data collected from cars is unnamed and “de-identified.” “This is not dedicated to the person unless you give specific consent,” he said, that the main purpose of collecting data is to improve safety and user experiences.

Epgen emphasizes the importance of considering how to intersect vehicle technology with city plan and multimodal transportation. He said different regions faced extraordinary challenges and suggested learning from cities around the world to make better action solutions.

While vehicles that are increasingly connected and autonomous, the panelists agree that balancing technology with security, privacy and user experience remain an important challenge for the industry. While perfect autonomous personal cars can still be years away, changing cars to smart digital platform platfy.

Photo: From the left, Moderator Rebecca Bellan from TechCrunch, Pankaj Kedgia from Dolby, Gretgen Effgen from Google, Alan Wexler from GM.