Artificial Intelligence will summarize long texts, and offer suggestions for how to respond while you’re driving
Responding to texts while driving is difficult and dangerous, but Google wants to wield the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to make it easier. The latest version of its automotive operating system, Android Auto, will summarize and respond to text messages on your behalf.
The updates were announced following the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S24, one of the most important phones using its Android operating system. Google claims that its new AI features will make it safer to operate a phone while driving.
When you receive long texts or a flurry of messages in a busy group chat, Google’s AI will automatically summarize what’s going on to make it more easily digestible. Those who use Google’s chat function in Gmail may already be familiar with what this looks like. It appears that the system will use Google Assistant to share the information with you, rather than making you read the summary.
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Read: Google Chrome Comes To Cars And Android Auto Gets New EV Smarts
In addition, Android Auto will also offer users suggestions for responses to those texts, to make answering them faster and easier. It can also take things, like data from Google Maps, to tell the person you’re texting when you will arrive at your destination if you are, say, driving over to pick them up.
It remains to see how seamless the new texting function will be, but it’s worth reminding drivers that even interacting with their infotainment screen for what feels like a short period of time can be distracting and dangerous when you’re traveling quickly.
For instance, a 2020 study found that the use of an infotainment screen can slow a driver’s reaction times by even more than alcohol and cannabis. While it seems likely that using these features will be safer than attempting to respond to a text directly from your phone, that’s a pretty low bar to hold the system to.
In addition to allowing users to text more, Google also plans to make Android Auto look more like a driver’s phone. The system will share things like wallpapers and icons between a Galaxy S24 and the infotainment system.
Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
