Ford adds an AI assistant to its Ford and Lincoln mobile apps

In short: Ford is rolling out a new AI assistant in its Ford and Lincoln phone apps, with an in-car version planned for 2027.

What happened

Ford has started releasing an AI-powered assistant to customers through the Ford and Lincoln mobile apps. It works like a chatbot, meaning you type questions and it replies in a chat screen, similar to texting.

Ford says the assistant can answer questions about your specific vehicle, including fuel level and tire pressure. It can also help with practical planning questions, like how much fuel you might need for a road trip or whether a truck can tow something. Because the app is linked to the vehicle, the assistant can use details about the make and model, along with live data from the car’s telemetry (a built-in status feed that reports things like levels and readings).

The company says the rollout will happen “in waves” and is aiming to reach up to 8 million Ford and Lincoln owners. Ford also says the assistant will be free to use for now, but it did not promise it will stay free once it moves into the car.

Ford expects a voice version inside vehicles in 2027. Until then, some Ford and Lincoln vehicles will offer Google’s Gemini as an optional alternative to Google Assistant for tasks like navigation, texting, and playing media.

Why it matters

For many drivers, this could make basic car information easier to find, like having a simple “ask the car” help desk in your pocket (instead of searching the owner’s manual). It also shows how car companies are racing to add AI helpers, similar to what Rivian and Mercedes-Benz have been doing.

Source: The Verge AI