Waymo's self-driving cars get Gemini integration, so you have someone to talk to

Self-driving cars can be great, especially for introverts who don’t want to talk to anyone on their taxi ride, and Waymo is one of the major companies offering self-driving cabs in the US. Now, the company is trying to make the passenger experience even better with a useful new feature: Gemini integration.

The company has announced that it’s finally bringing Gemini to its cars. Passengers can now use Gemini to control things like the music or cabin temperature. They can also ask Gemini for suggestions about the neighborhood they are driving through or get additional information on a monument or building along their route. Additionally, they can request Gemini to pull the car over. However, Gemini cannot control any aspect of the vehicle’s movement or routing, and does not have access to the real-time driving data.

Waymo’s Ojai vehicles also come with a new user interface. Ojai cars will use three displays: a central infotainment screen and screens in front of each passenger seat. The screens will be individually controlled, putting useful controls in front of the passenger without mirroring them across all displays.

So, a passenger sitting in the rear-right seat will see detailed controls on their screen, while the other two displays will either show a simplified trip status or an ambient media player view.

The new Ojai cars will also come with features like “Zen mode,” which will dim the passenger’s screen and display minimal trip info to allow them to relax without getting distracted.