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Volkswagen’s latest infotainment update rolling out to several of its ID EV models includes a popular new bot – ChatGPT. The German automaker kicked off CES 2024 in Las Vegas this morning with the announcement as it looks to make the chatbot a standard feature in a majority of its passenger vehicles.

Volkswagen Group as a whole has been an interesting OEM to follow the last couple years. As the Group’s entire portfolio looks to go all-electric over the next decade, we’ve seen it take huge strides forward, but plenty of stumbles back.

Sub-brands like Audi have dialed back grander EV plans, while the Group’s namesake marque continues to play catchup in the segment following less than encouraging EV software development.

Still, Volkswagen remains one of the largest globally recognized brands that continues to innovate and introduce new technologies into electric mobility. During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – an expo known for cutting-edge tech and newsworthy announcements, Volkswagen shared that its vehicles will be gaining the assistance of one of the most popular tech breakthroughs – ChatGPT.

Volkswagen ChatGPT
Source: Volkswagen Group

ChatGPT to push Volkswagens well beyond voice control

Per Volkswagen Group, its latest update to its infotainment software includes the integration of ChatGPT into the back end of the automaker’s existing voice assistant “IDA,” enabled by Cerence Chat Pro.

To begin, IDA can control cabin features such as infotainment, navigation, and air conditioning and can answer specific questions pertaining to general knowledge. Looking ahead, Volkswagen says the AI will respond to questions beyond the general, including vehicle-specific information in real time. Kai Grünitz, Member of the Board of Management Volkswagen Brand for technical Development, spoke:

Volkswagen has always democratised technology and made it accessible to the many. This is simply ingrained in our DNA. As a result, we are now the first volume manufacturer to make this innovative technology a standard feature in vehicles from the compact segment upwards. Thanks to the seamless integration of ChatGPT and strong collaboration with our partner, Cerence, we are offering our drivers added value and direct access to the AI-based research tool. This also underlines the innovative strength of our new products.

Volkswagen owners who receive the infotainment update that includes ChatGPT can operate their new voice assistant as usual by either saying “Hello IDA” or pressing the button on the steering wheel.

The automaker made a point to state that ChatGPT does not gain access to any vehicle data and that Cerence Chat Pro ensures all questions and answers are deleted immediately to ensure data protection. To begin, ChatGPT will become available to drivers of the following Volkswagen models:

ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, ID.3, Tiguan, Passat, and Golf.

VW says it intends to roll out the chatbot as a standard feature in many more production models, beginning in Q2 2024. In the past, we’ve already seen fellow German automaker Mercedes-Benz integrate ChatGPT into an EQE SUV, but not to the scale of Volkswagen is planning.

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Crypto’s $245 million campaign finance operation filled airwaves with ads not about crypto

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Crypto's 5 million campaign finance operation filled airwaves with ads not about crypto

Stand With Crypto’s bus tour through five battleground states kicked off last week in Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Logan Dobson/Stand With Crypto Alliance

LAS VEGAS — In Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, a crypto PAC spent nearly $2 million on ads this cycle to support the reelection of Steven Horsford, a Democratic congressman who’s voted in favor of some major pro-crypto bills.

But watching the ads, you’d learn nothing about that agenda.

“He’s leading on jobs, bringing good paying union jobs to Nevada and rebuilding our infrastructure,” one 30-second commercial says. “He capped insulin prices at $35 a month” and “worked multiple jobs to support his hard-working single mother and siblings.”

The ad wraps up with the disclosure, “Fairshake is responsible for the content of this ad.”

Fairshake was the largest crypto-aligned super PAC in the 2024 election cycle, spending piles of cash to support crypto allies and vote out antagonists across the country. The group brought in $170 million, accounting for a huge chunk of the amount raised by crypto-related PACs and other groups, which totaled more than $245 million, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Crypto has accounted for nearly half of all corporate money flowing into the election, according to a report from nonprofit watchdog Public Citizen. No other sector is close. That includes oil companies and banks, which have historically been big political contributors. Crypto even outpaced Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, who spent tens of millions of dollars to try to get Republican nominee former President Donald Trump back in the White House in his contest against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

A big part of the crypto industry’s strategy when it came to distributing cash was to identify key races and then flood the zone.

Industry advocacy group Stand With Crypto Alliance, launched by Coinbase last year, developed a grading system for the presidential race and for House and Senate candidates across the country, helping it determine where to spend.

Bitcoin hits three-month high as bipartisan support of crypto industry fuels spot ETF inflows

Horsford received an A grade based on his public comments and his voting history while in office. His campaign received money from Fairshake as well as individual donations from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, venture capitalist and longtime crypto investor Reid Hoffman, and billionaire twins Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss.

Nevada is home to two of the thirteen “critical elections” singled out by Stand with Crypto, a designation the group defines as races that are “critical to the future of crypto in America.” In addition to Horsford’s election, the other Nevada race is the Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Jackie Rosen and Republican challenger Sam Brown. Both candidates received an A grade.

According to data shared by Stand with Crypto, 385,000 Nevadans are crypto owners, and more than 16,000 people in the state have signed up to be advocates for the group, which made a stop in Las Vegas in September as part of a multi-state tour.

The other races deemed critical were for Senate in Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin and Maryland, and for specific House contests in Colorado, Iowa and Oregon.

To reach potential voters, Fairshake isn’t talking a lot about crypto. Nor are its affiliate PACs, which have names like Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress. They’ve collectively spent more than $135 million this cycle, mostly on ads.

“Not mentioning crypto assets explicitly is probably a savvy move to avoid alienating voters who prefer traditional currencies and might be put off by connections to crypto,” said David Nickerson, an associate professor of political science at Temple University who worked in the analytics department for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012.

The biggest single target of crypto money this cycle was Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Brown backed Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in holding hearings on whether digital tokens were tied to terrorism.

In December, Brown told journalists that he wasn’t concerned about the crypto industry’s rumblings against him.

“Bring ’em on,” Politico quoted Brown as saying to a crowd of reporters.

Some $40 million of crypto money has been directed at defeating Brown, and one PAC has paid for five ads designed to boost awareness of Republican rival Bernie Moreno, a blockchain entrepreneur. The race is crucial in determining which party will control the Senate.

Protect Progress, a PAC affiliated with Fairshake, has given more than $10 million apiece to Senate candidates in Arizona and Michigan. In Arizona, the group favors Democrat Ruben Gallego, who is vying for the seat being vacated by Kyrsten Sinema. In Michigan, the preferred choice is Elissa Slotkin, who is currently a Democratic House member.

Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California lost in the primary for Senate after Fairshake spent over $10 million in ads against her. Defend American Jobs spent more than $3 million to support Republican Jim Justice in West Virginia, who has been declared the winner, replacing exiting Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.

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Cybertruck dually, overland Kia concepts, and electric Mopars at SEMA

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Cybertruck dually, overland Kia concepts, and electric Mopars at SEMA

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we find out what a one-ton Tesla Cybertruck looks like, check out some clever, off-road Kia overland EVs, witness the electric rebirth of Plymouth with a plugin street rod, and more!

We’ve also got a bunch of new, $300/mo. EV lease deals and talk up the rapid rise of the Ultium-based Honda Prologue, which is rocketing up the sales charts!

Today’s episode features our new title sponsor, BLUETTI – a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 50% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday pre-sale, now through November 11. Learn more by clicking here here.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: New Honda battery electric lawn mowers will be made in the USA.

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Tesla plans mini Oasis Supercharger with solar and batteries near its giant project

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Tesla plans mini Oasis Supercharger with solar and batteries near its giant project

Tesla appears to be doubling down on its new “Oasis” Supercharger station concept, which consists of larger stations powered by solar and a microgrid battery system.

Although, this new one is a bit less ambitious.

Last month, Tesla announced its “project Oasis” (pictured above), which should become one of Tesla’s largest Supercharger stations with several pull-through stalls for trucks and trailers, but the real differentiating factor is a large solar array and battery system that enables the charging station to operate off-grid mostly.

CEO Elon Musk has been saying that the goal of the Supercharger network is to be powered by solar and batteries and mostly off-grid since 2016, but Tesla has yet to make this common.

The announcement of the Project Oasis gave us some hope that it might finally happen, and now it looks like Tesla is planning a mini Oasis.

Marco RP, who tracks Supercharger projects, reported on the new construction plans submitted for the Coalinga, California station:

https://twitter.com/MarcoRPi1/status/1852794833154535719

The project is about 50 miles north of Project Oasis – also on Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

We call it a “mini Oasis” not because it has fewer charging stations than Oasis; it actually has the same number of planned stalls, 168 stalls, but because it doesn’t have as much solar and batteries to enable off-grid use.

Oasis has 11 MW of planned solar power and 39 MWh of energy storage.

This new project in Coalinga has less than 1 MW of solar and 15.5 MWh of energy storage. In the case of Oasis, the grid complements Tesla’s microgrid, and in this new project, it’s Tesla’s microgrid that complements the grid connection.

But Tesla could eventually expand its solar array and battery storage system at the new station.

This new station also includes restrooms, which Tesla has sometimes deployed at bigger stations.

Supercharging with solar is great, but the best solar to charge your car is the one you own. If you want to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, including some who install Tesla products like Powerwalls. They ensure you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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