Volkswagen to Add AI Voice Agents to China Cars Starting Second Half of 2026

Volkswagen announced it would incorporate AI agents that allow drivers to control car features with voice commands into its vehicles in China, with the feature set to roll out in the second half of 2026. The AI will be featured in all vehicles based on Volkswagen's China car system, the company said on Tuesday.

CNBC reported that this move builds on Volkswagen's investments in the region, including stakes in electric vehicle maker Xpeng and automotive chipmaker Horizon Robotics.

Volkswagen's China CTO told CNBC that the in-car AI agent draws on technology from Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu and others. He described the AI as using a locally trained large language model that runs entirely on the car, rather than relying on cloud computing.

"The car should be like a companion," the CTO said, adding that the AI agent creates a tool with personality that can anticipate a driver's needs.

On the same day, Volkswagen revealed four cars in Beijing, including the ID. UNYX 09. The company co-developed the ID. UNYX 09 with EV maker Xpeng over two years. Volkswagen shows off a prototype of its ID.Aura T6 in Beijing in April 2026. Volkswagen is integrating Xpeng's Turing chip into an electric SUV scheduled to begin deliveries by the end of June 2026.

The company has an advanced automotive chip project with Horizon Robotics that remains under development. Volkswagen does not use Nvidia chips in its cars in China. Starting in 2027, Volkswagen will use agentic AI to power a unified driver-assist and cockpit control system.

In November 2025, Volkswagen announced that its research center in Hefei could independently develop and approve technology for its Chinese cars. Over the last two years, German automotive industry companies in China have increased their research and development activities in the country, according to a report released on Tuesday by the German Chamber of Commerce in China.

Nearly 80% of automotive companies surveyed by the German Chamber of Commerce in China said that localizing R&D in China has lowered costs versus Germany over the last two years.

About 43% of respondents to the survey said their innovation speed has increased by more than 40%. The report highlights efforts by these companies to serve both local and global markets through expanded R&D in China.