Google and Volvo have teamed up to give the Gemini AI assistant a new trick: looking at things through car cameras and telling you what they mean. At the I/O conference, the companies announced that the upcoming Volvo EX60 SUV will let Gemini access its external cameras to interpret the world for its owners. This is possible because Volvo uses Google's embedded Android Automotive as its vehicle operating system, which is apparently the car equivalent of having a friend who always has an opinion on everything.
The first use case is translating those infuriating parking signs that seem designed by a committee of sadists. Google envisions a camera-enabled Gemini recalling road signs, interpreting lane markings, or even answering questions about nearby landmarks or restaurants. The company says it will tell you how long you can park, whether you need a permit, and other restrictions - essentially becoming the world's most opinionated parking attendant.
"In the future, Gemini will make your drive more helpful by allowing you to learn more about your surroundings while on the road," said Patrick Brady, VP of Android Automotive at Google, in a statement that sounds like it was written by an AI that has never sat in traffic.
This feature isn't just powered by Gemini alone; it also relies on the EX60's computing power from Qualcomm's Snapdragon system-on-a-chip, as well as its over-the-air software capabilities. So if the system misreads a sign, at least you'll know who to blame.
Parking sign interpretation could be legitimately useful - if it's accurate. But anyone who has tried to decipher a sign in New York City knows that even humans struggle. The nightmare scenario: Gemini wrongly interprets a sign, and you get a $115 ticket or, worse, your car gets impounded. Google needs to nail this feature, otherwise car owners will simply disable it and go back to the traditional method of guessing and hoping.
With the power of sight, Google also says Maps will deliver more conversational directions that account for landmarks, like "go past this light and take the next left at the library." Volvo will be among the first automakers to receive Google Maps' new Immersive Navigation feature, where the route is rendered in 3D with better graphics to more closely resemble the real world. Because nothing says "immersive" like your GPS telling you to turn at the library you can't see because you're trying to avoid a pothole.