We Went Looking for the Best AI Assistant in a Car and Discovered They All Stink

Grok’s limitation in interacting with a Tesla vehicle’s systems, including navigation and climate controls, due to its lack of awareness of the vehicle’s status and initial inability to relay commands.
The release of an update in December 2025 that allows Grok to pass navigation commands, despite its limited capabilities compared to Tesla’s old-school voice commands.
BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant’s success in achieving effective in-car voice command functionalities without requiring scripted inputs.
BMW’s next-gen assistant, based on large language model tech, that can handle complex requests and conversations.
The broader context of ongoing AI developments that promise to enhance in-car technologies, raising expectations for future virtual assistants.
A suggestion to use drive time for personal interaction or quiet reflection until AI assistants provide notable improvements.

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