General Motors announced today (April 28) that Google Gemini will soon be available to approximately 4 million vehicles in the U.S. According to the release, millions of drivers will then be able to ask the AI assistant for directions, send texts, and find the perfect song for the drive, while behind the wheel of GM vehicles.
What we know: The upgrade will be for 2022 and newer Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles equipped with the Google built-in, which will be accessible through GM’s infotainment system.
The Gemini update carries no direct cost and arrives as an automatic Play Store update for the Google Assistant app on eligible vehicles, according to information relayed to CDG.
Drivers must have an OnStar plan with voice assistance to utilize the feature.
For 2025 and newer models, this is bundled into the OnStar Basics package at no extra charge for eight years, providing standard access to navigation, voice commands, remote features, and streaming apps.
The initial rollout will only use U.S. English as its assistant language. That said, the update is expected to expand into additional markets and support more languages over time.
A GM spokesperson told CDG that dealers would be notified of the rollout timing this week and would receive training and support.
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What they’re saying: The announcement of the Gemini upgrade comes ahead of GM’s plan to launch its own new AI assistant with proprietary vehicle data.
“Gemini delivers AI assistance to millions of drivers across every segment and price point for a wide range of everyday needs. That kind of scale is only possible because of the connected vehicle foundation GM has built through OnStar over the past 30 years,” said Tim Twerdahl, global vice president of product management with General Motors, in a press release. “Later this year, GM will deliver a more deeply integrated AI experience shaped by OnStar intelligence.”
For dealers: This is mostly a background software update, but one that will likely prompt questions from customers, given that shoppers who've used Gemini on their phones will probably expect it to behave the same way in the car. Any training at the dealership level should include how it does (or doesn't) so teams are prepared.
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