The topic Four million GM owners are about to stop hating their voice assistants is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
Here in the automotive industry, we have grown accustomed to what is known as static technologies. In other words, once a vehicle leaves the assembly line, its hardware and software are typically locked in time. Unlike your phone, which can receive real-time updates to enhance its performance (and auto-download a ton of spammy games), your vehicle has historically remained the same since you drove it off the lot.
And although automakers have increasingly leveraged over-the-air (OTA) updates, it is still somewhat rare for a car to receive a fundamental upgrade to its primary user interface years after its release.
General Motors is doing just that as part of a rollout targeting approximately four million vehicles. The Detroit automaker is bringing Google Gemini functionality to customers who own a 2022 model year or newer GM vehicle. GM is moving away from command-based voice systems that have historically frustrated drivers, providing a welcome update to its customer base without requiring them to trade for a new vehicle.
If you have ever repeated an address multiple times to your navigation system, only for it not to understand, you aren’t alone. In fact, if you have completely given up on using voice commands in your vehicle, despite how such functionality may have been a selling point at the dealership, you are not alone.
according to the data JD Power’s 2024 Vehicle Dependability Study, infotainment systems are nearly twice as problematic as any other category in a vehicle, with voice recognition systems being especially fickle. Consumers expressed a similar sentiment around larger touchscreens and the lack of physical buttons in JD Power’s 2025 version of the study.
In theory, voice commands should make driving easier and safer, although current systems still struggle with background and road noise and require a specific, memorized syntax to function.
To solve this, GM is replacing the traditional assistant with Google Gemini. Unlike the existing generation of voice recognition tech, which is listening for trigger words to execute a task, Gemini is a multimodal AI. In essence, Gemini was designed from the beginning to understand natural language, context, and complex reasoning.
If you have used Google Gemini on your phone, you may notice how it doesn’t only hear your words; it understands your intent at that exact moment. for example, I have uploaded photos of vegetables to Gemini to see if they are spoiling. Gemini understands that I am cooking in my kitchen, going so far as to recommend a recipe for a head of broccoli that is “still good, but getting close.”
Inside the vehicle, Gemini can handle a driver’s follow-up questions or shift topics mid-sentence, moving the experience from pre-set phrases to a fluid conversation.
This tiny Nexar dash cam sits comfortably behind your rear-view mirror and captures footage in 1080p. It also features GPS for geo-tagging videos.
Gemini is available with Google built-in through the GM vehicle’s infotainment system, accessed with natural, conversational phrases after a “Hey Google” prompt. Here are some examples:
GM’s integration of Gemini offers a safety benefit as the less time you spend looking at the infotainment screen (or your phone), the better.
There is also the perspective that GM is providing a “quality of life” upgrade for its customer base. for example, the Gemini update rolled out by GM can help you prepare for an important meeting with a prompt like “Hey Google, I need to give a presentation, what are tips to keep from getting nervous?” or “Hey Google, can you help me plan a surprise getaway for my wedding anniversary?”
The rollout applies to 2022 model year and newer Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles equipped with Google built-in. GM’s latest Gemini update lives within the vehicle itself, drawing on the internal software and OnStar connectivity for a deeper level of system integration.
To ensure your GM vehicle is ready, make sure you meet the following requirements:
The Gemini upgrade will be delivered over several months via an automatic update to all eligible GM vehicles. When it is ready for your vehicle, a notification will appear on the infotainment screen.