I realized how useful Mercedes-Benz’s new in-car AI assistant was when I was driving a different car.
After testing the new impressive 2026 Mercedes CLA-Class In San Francisco, I returned to New York, but then faced several hours of driving through a winter rainstorm. That’s when I realized I hadn’t changed the windshield wipers in forever – one of those little tasks I always meant to do but always forgot until it was too late – and that meant less visibility than I wanted.
Then I thought: Wouldn’t it be nice to press a button on the steering wheel, have the car find O’Reilly Auto Parts or AutoZone or something nearby, and then set a quick diversion on my navigation system’s route? Then I can switch spaces in the parking lot and be on my way. But I was in a car much less sophisticated than the new CLA sedan; Doing any of that meant stopping in a weird part of Newark, New Jersey and whipping out my iPhone to get directions.
Once you’ve tried the in-car AI assistant, as I did, you may want to stick with it.
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Source: Patrick George
At least that’s what Mercedes is betting on with the new MBUX virtual assistant. It’s a key feature in the already high-tech CLA, which will soon be available in other models in the family.
Functionally, it’s no different from many in-car voice assistants: You either press a button on the steering wheel or say “Hey, Mercedes” (or another “wake word” you select yourself), and then ask it things. But most voice-controlled cars aren’t very smart. They generally want you to say commands that correspond to predefined phrases, such as “Go to” or “Call so-and-so.” You’re not supposed to talk to them
But Mercedes has added multiple layers of artificial intelligence and web search capabilities to this system, including ChatGPT4o, Microsoft Bing Search, and Google Cloud’s Automotive AI Agent for navigation. So when you say, “Hey, Mercedes,” you can almost talk to her like she’s a person.
In the video above, you’ll see how I asked the AI assistant all sorts of things, from how to control different functions in the car to his opinion on BMW. (She had nice things to say.) She’s informal, flexible, and quite conversational. The system is included in the new CLA Series, and like many features, its performance depends on having a good data connection.
The glowing blue star tells you when the AI system is working.
Photography: Patrick George
One time, I asked the AI assistant to find me some good burrito places nearby. She did that, and also gave me some reviews for each one using different review sites. not bad. You can ask about the traffic on your route. You can ask him to turn on the heated seats. You can ask him about the weather. It can look up all kinds of random information for you: while driving using Wall Street Journal A columnist earlier that day, I asked him how much it cost to subscribe to the newspaper, and he gave us an accurate answer.
I also asked her what the greatest Mercedes-Benz ever was, and she told me it might be it 300SL gullwing– An assessment I definitely agree with.
The AI assistant is an essential part of MB.OSMercedes’ next-generation software system that debuts in the new CLA-Class. Like many other automakers, Mercedes has struggled with modern technology in many of its cars, but this new chip-to-cloud architecture promises more features, better speed, more frequent over-the-air software updates, and a more cohesive and connected experience — a real one. Software-defined vehicle. In the case of the MBUX virtual assistant, Mercedes says it will improve over time, as you will learn new things and even your personal preferences. It is an AI system, after all.
This isn’t my first experience with in-car AI voice assistants. I tried several of them on different electric vehicles in China last year, and… It also fits with the approach taken by that country in dealing with artificial intelligenceThey were all impressive. But the Mercedes audio system is the first one I’ve tried in the West that sounds on par with those systems.
Will demand for systems like this increase in 2026 and beyond? All I can say is that I missed this when it disappeared, so maybe Mercedes is on to something here.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
