Over the last few years, advanced AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and so on have become a common household addition. Through programs like Android Auto and Apple Car support, you can have simplified variations of these in cars. BMW, however, is looking to make their own smart helper.

The German luxury car company announced their plans to release an Intelligent Personal Assistant on March 2019. The IPA will help drivers and passengers with a number of available functions, simply start by saying "Hey BMW." Don't worry, you can give it a different name, should you choose.

It will handle basic functions like air conditioning, music, and navigation. It can also handle more humanistic ideas. Should a user tell the car they are tired, the digital personal assistant to adjust the lighting, music, and cabin temperature to keep the driver more alert and focused. The IPA supports Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business integration, allowing the busy office worker to keep their job on the go. It can also answer more existential questions, like "what is the meaning of life?"



The IPA learns from the user as they continue to assist them. It will remember frequently visited locations and preferred settings. This will make it easy to make commands such as "take me home." BMW muses for more advanced support in the future, such as reminding the driver of upcoming appointments and even booking needed appointments for them.

The IPA will be available to any vehicle with BMW's Operating System 7.0. Interested buyers can order it as early as November 2018.