New Mazda CX-5 now comes with Google Gemini AI assistant included

Artificial intelligence is becoming an ever larger part of our lives, and that inevitably extends to cars. It’s not massively surprising, then, to see Mazda jumping on the bandwagon by rolling out Google Gemini to its new CX-5. 

The Japanese brand joins the likes of Volvo, Ford and Renault in offering Google’s AI assistant in its cars. It’s available only in the CX-5 for now, though, because it’s Mazda’s sole model with a Google-based infotainment system. 

It’s arriving by way of an over-the-air update and must be enabled by the driver after signing into their Google account. Once active, it’ll replace the existing Google Assistant. Mazda says the tech has the “ability to understand natural language, context and follow-up questions allows drivers to express what they need conversationally, without having to remember specific commands.”

Mazda’s examples of how you might use it include asking for a well rated eatery with specific attributes (outdoor seating, for example) along the driver’s current route, with options narrowed down via additional questions. That’s handy for anyone who isn’t already 100 per cent sure they’re stopping at Taco Bell or McDonald’s. 

This “conversational approach” can also be used to play music suiting your current mood via supported apps such as Spotify and Amazon Music.

Gemini is also able to summarise messages you receive, including those from WhatsApp, as well as read them aloud in full. “Natural-language capabilities” are also said to make it easy to “draft, refine or translate” your responses by voice command. The tech supports 12 European languages. 

When our expert road testers reviewed the new Mazda CX-5, they found the display to be distracting and slow to respond. Having to use the CX-5’s large central touchscreen less, then,  could possibly be seen as a good thing. 

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