Autonomous driving leader Waymo has recently been reported to be conducting an interesting experiment: integrating Google's Gemini AI assistant into its driverless taxi (Robotaxi). This move aims to provide passengers with a "virtual butler" that can accompany them throughout the journey, answer questions, and even adjust the car's environment.

According to code discovered by researchers, Waymo has created a "system instruction" of more than 1,200 lines for this in-car assistant. This detailed document defines its behavioral guidelines: it must remain friendly, considerate, and non-intrusive, with responses usually limited to three sentences, avoiding dull technical jargon. Currently, it is authorized to control the car's air conditioning temperature, lighting, and music playback, but core functions such as adjusting volume or changing the route are not yet available.

To ensure safety and brand clarity, Waymo has set strict boundaries. The assistant must clearly distinguish itself from the autonomous driving system (Waymo Driver) and cannot represent the system to comment on or defend driving operations. For example, when faced with sensitive questions about accident videos, it is instructed to refuse to answer and change the subject.

Although Waymo officially states that whether these features will ultimately be implemented remains uncertain, this reflects a new trend in the autonomous driving industry. Unlike Tesla's plan to introduce a more personalized Grok assistant that supports long conversations, Waymo's Gemini solution currently focuses more on providing practical information and optimizing the basic travel experience.

Key points:

  • 🤖 Creating an In-Car Virtual Butler: Waymo has tried to integrate Gemini assistant, which can offer personalized greetings and control hardware like the car's air conditioning and lights.

  • 📜 Thousand-Line Instructions to Regulate Behavior: The system uses over 1,200 lines of instructions to require the AI to remain concise and friendly, and strictly prohibits it from interfering with or commenting on the vehicle's actual autonomous driving operations.

  • 🛡️ Focusing on Practicality and Safety: Unlike competitors' social attributes, this assistant focuses on answering common knowledge questions and environmental adjustments, and does not support handling emergencies at this time.