Google’s Gemini voice assistant is coming to Polestar vehicles

Polestar plans to integrate Google’s new Gemini artificial intelligence system into its vehicles beginning in 2026, marking a shift from the current Google Assistant interface to a more advanced conversational platform. The company announced the change ahead of a joint demonstration with Google at Slush 2025, a technology conference held in Helsinki, Finland. According to Polestar, all models from the Polestar 2 onward will receive Gemini through a future Google software update once the feature becomes available.

Gemini represents Google’s next generation of voice-driven interaction tools, combining existing functions of Google Assistant with generative artificial intelligence. The system is designed to interpret natural language more effectively, allowing for longer and more detailed interactions than current in-car voice systems typically support. Polestar describes this as an expansion of its ongoing collaboration with Google, which began with the company’s adoption of Android Automotive OS as its core infotainment platform.

The planned integration positions Polestar as one of the first automakers to ship vehicles with Gemini replacing the Google Assistant. According to the company, the feature will function as a system-wide voice interface, controlling tasks that are already supported today, such as navigation, media playback, and vehicle-related queries. The upgrade is intended to broaden these functions to include more conversational capabilities. For example, users may be able to ask follow-up questions, request elaboration on a topic, or work through ideas verbally. These features are part of what Google is calling “Gemini Live,” which allows the system to maintain longer interactions rather than responding in isolated commands.

Polestar says that activating these expanded capabilities will require a trigger phrase. The company lists “Hey Google, let’s talk” as an example that will prompt the system to shift into a more conversational mode. From there, the interface will allow users to engage in extended dialogue, which could include brainstorming ideas, seeking clarifications, or requesting information while driving. The company notes that this functionality is not limited to predefined automotive domains, although the release does not specify limitations or restrictions that may apply when using the system on the road.

Gemini represents Google’s broader introduction of generative AI tools into its hardware and ecosystem products. While the company already offers conversational capabilities through mobile and home devices, its rollout in automotive systems requires additional integration with car manufacturers. Polestar, having developed its infotainment ecosystem around Google services for several years, is positioned to adopt this new tool without requiring major hardware changes. According to Polestar, the integration will arrive as part of a future Google update, rather than being tied to a specific vehicle model year or new hardware generation.

Sid Odedra, Polestar’s Head of UI and UX, said the collaboration with Google illustrates the company’s approach to evolving digital systems within its vehicles. Odedra characterized Gemini as the next stage of in-car voice interaction and emphasized that Polestar intends to improve the driving experience by adopting new software-based features as they become available.

Google expanded on the partnership by noting that it has worked with Polestar for several years on implementing connected-car technologies. Haris Ramic, Director of Product Management at Google, stated that the introduction of Gemini into Polestar vehicles continues this collaboration and that showcasing the system inside the Polestar 5 at the Slush event provides early visibility into how AI-driven interfaces will operate in future production environments.

Slush, held annually in Helsinki, is considered one of Europe’s notable technology conferences, attracting startups, established companies, and investors focused on digital and emerging technologies. The 2025 conference will take place on November 19 and 20. Polestar and Google will exhibit side by side at the event, offering attendees an opportunity to test Gemini inside a Polestar 5 demonstrator. The Polestar 5, a forthcoming electric sedan positioned as a higher-end entry in the company’s lineup, serves as the demonstration platform for Gemini during the event, though the release notes that integration will not be limited to this model.

Polestar says the consumer rollout of Gemini in its vehicles will begin in 2026, starting with support for U.S. English. The company does not provide a timeline for additional language support or for regional expansion. It also does not specify whether certain features will be limited in certain markets at launch or whether a phased release structure will be necessary. Given that voice systems often require region-specific data, regulatory reviews, or localization, it is possible that the rollout may vary geographically, but Polestar offers no details beyond confirming the initial language availability.

The decision to replace the Google Assistant entirely suggests that Polestar is aligning its infotainment roadmap with Google’s broader shift toward generative AI systems. As Gemini moves into more consumer devices, it is likely that automotive integrations will be expected to maintain feature parity with other categories of hardware. Polestar, already using Google Maps, Google Play, and other embedded Google services, will rely on integration through Android Automotive OS to implement these next-generation voice features.

Polestar does not provide technical details about how Gemini will be processed within the vehicle. It remains unclear whether voice interactions will rely entirely on cloud-based computation or if some level of on-device processing will be available. This distinction is relevant for scenarios involving poor connectivity or for situations in which privacy-related considerations affect data handling. Neither Polestar nor Google specifies whether Gemini will affect processing demands, hardware requirements, or overall vehicle system performance.

The company also does not discuss the extent to which Gemini will integrate with vehicle controls beyond the current capabilities of Google Assistant. Today, Polestar vehicles equipped with Android Automotive allow voice-based control of functions such as climate settings and certain other comfort features. Whether Gemini will expand these functions or maintain the existing set of vehicle-specific integrations is not addressed in the announcement. Likewise, Polestar does not indicate whether the rollout will require vehicles to be running a particular software version of its operating system.

The introduction of Gemini continues Polestar’s reliance on third-party digital ecosystems rather than proprietary infotainment software. As more automakers evaluate similar partnerships, the adoption of externally developed AI platforms may become a more common approach to in-car digital systems. For Polestar, the shift reinforces a strategy built on recurring software updates rather than hardware-tied feature releases.

Polestar’s announcement indicates that more information on Gemini’s availability and functionality will be provided closer to the 2026 release window. For now, the company is using the Slush demonstration to preview the system’s capabilities and illustrate how generative AI may fit into future automotive user interfaces. Visitors to the conference will be able to engage directly with Gemini inside the Polestar 5, although the experience may differ from what is ultimately deployed in production vehicles.