Mercedes-Benz will add voice input for notes in its cars

Mercedes-Benz has introduced the MBUX Notes app, which allows you to create hands-free voice notes using generative AI technologies (GPT-4o from OpenAI). It is integrated into the third-generation MBUX multimedia system and offers multilingual input. Notes are structured automatically, stored in the cloud and can be sent via email or instant messengers. The app is already available in the E-Class, CLE, C-Class and GLC models with support for the third-generation MBUX.

The service stores data in the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud using end-to-end encryption, which guarantees its security. The app is currently available in 30 European countries, including Germany, France, Italy and the UK. Launches in the US, Japan, Australia and other regions are expected in the future. MBUX Notes requires an active subscription to the MBUX Entertainment Package Plus.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will not use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its next-generation car interiors. The main reason for this decision is the company’s desire not to abandon the design of the head unit interface in the cabin in favor of third-party developers.

Company spokespeople say that cooperation with companies such as Google and Apple is important, but Mercedes remains the architect of its digital environment in the car.

The CEO of Mercedes-Benz noted that the next generation of CarPlay, announced by Apple last year, will not appear in the brand’s cars due to the strategic desire to preserve the integrity of the digital environment in the cabin. He noted that the Mercedes-Benz operating system is the central system of the car, in which the infotainment system is one of the key domains.

For Mercedes-Benz, the digital environment in the car is one coherent software architecture. It encompasses not only the infotainment system, but also automated driving, body, exterior and interior control, drive systems and battery management. This architecture also supports a telecommunications module that communicates with the cloud, allowing the user’s personal settings and other data to be stored. It is important for Mercedes-Benz to maintain control over this environment in order to ensure optimal interaction between all systems and create the best digital experience in the world for its customers.

At the same time, Mercedes will continue to offer the current generation of CarPlay and Android Auto for those who feel comfortable with them, and will also work with Google to develop the next generation of in-car mapping and driving assistance systems. So perhaps soon Google and Apple will offer at least basic customization of the interfaces of their systems for cars.