Mercedes-Benz and Google Strengthen Partnership for AI Powered Customer Experience

Mercedes-Benz and Google Cloud have expanded their strategic partnership. Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform will assist the automaker in transforming important customer experiences through AI and generative AI (gen AI) technologies. Mercedes plans to integrate cutting-edge e-commerce features, such as a new intelligent sales assistant driven by artificial intelligence and search and recommendation capabilities comparable to those found on Google, into its online store. The company also plans to expand its use of Google Cloud AI to make its call center experience more seamless and helpful and will leverage AI and gen AI tools, including Vertex AI and Google’s Gemini models, to make its marketing campaigns more personalized and relevant to customers worldwide.

Mercedes-Benz to integrate Google Cloud’s AI technologies

With more and more of the car-buying process taking place online, Mercedes-Benz will be able to revolutionize e-commerce and turn its online storefronts into an extension of the showroom floor with the aid of Google Cloud’s AI technologies. Mercedes plans to introduce a new intelligent sales assistant on its website in 2024 using Google’s Gemini models. With the ability to communicate in natural language, the Mercedes-Benz Virtual Assistant (MVA) will be able to assist customers in finding the right car model, setting up a test drive, or even beginning a purchase. To make it even simpler for customers to search and shop, the automaker will also investigate integrating Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search service into its websites.

Customers will be able to quickly find relevant car models and products on Mercedes’ website by using the smart sales assistant or the search bar, with enhanced e-commerce functionalities. Examples of these queries include “Newest EV models that seat five people” or “2024 red wagon.” Currently available in Germany and the UK, the Mercedes-Benz Virtual Assistant (MVA) is being implemented in European markets. In Europe and other countries, the smart sales assistant will be made available on websites by 2024.

Mercedes implementing Google Cloud’s conversational AI

Mercedes has also been integrating Google Cloud’s Dialogflow conversational AI technology into its call centers in the United States for the last six months. Since their launch, automated agents have assisted Mercedes customers in over 30 languages with ease, handling over a million calls and providing information on leases, payments, and upgrades. Mercedes intends to increase its use in additional markets, building on the achievements observed in the US. Mercedes’ decision to integrate conversational AI into its contact center operations will also enable its agents to spend more time helping clients with intricate requests that require human intervention.

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Lastly, to optimize the value of its customer data, which it handles using Google Cloud’s BigQuery data warehouse platform, Mercedes-Benz has also been utilizing the Vertex AI platform. The carmaker has been utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to improve audience segmentation and personalize content on its US website.

Next-gen ADAS system

Mercedes-Benz is developing its next generation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) with the help of Google Cloud technologies. Google Cloud will serve as the foundation for Mercedes’ Next Generation Internal Development and Test Platform for autonomous driving, enabling even more efficiency and flexibility in the company’s product development. The capacity of Google Cloud to handle enormous volumes of data and scale AI workloads will also contribute to the further advancement of AI-driven and intelligent vehicles.

With the announcement, Google and Mercedes-Benz have entered a new phase of their strategic partnership, which started in February 2023 when Mercedes-Benz chose the Google Maps Platform as the basis for its own branded navigation experience. As of right now, over three million customers can access trustworthy Place Details supplied by Google in their Mercedes vehicles. As part of the collaboration, YouTube has been integrated into Mercedes’ infotainment system, and the automaker is using several AI, data, and open infrastructure tools from Google Cloud.

Here’s what they said

Ola Källenius, Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes-Benz commented,

“Partnering with the very best in their respective fields is an important part of our software strategy – Google is the perfect example of that. With Google Cloud, Mercedes-Benz is building new ways to deliver the most intelligent vehicles to our customers and to create personalized, intuitive experiences.”

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet said, 

“Mercedes-Benz has a long history of using technology to create exceptional experiences for their customers. We’re excited to help them apply Google’s advanced AI to engage with customers in new ways from improving customer service to optimizing their website experience, with much more to come from this collaboration in the future.”

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