How will vehicle experiences evolve with AI? | with Mel Roberts of Stellantis

In S4 Ep13 of The Garage Podcast, recorded live at Auto Tech 2026, host John Heinlein speaks with Stellantis's Mel Roberts on how AI and small language models (SLMs) are transforming the automotive user experience. They discuss the strategic deployment of AI in vehicles, focusing on local processing for low latency, predictive maintenance, and balancing physical controls with digital UX design. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:48 Meet Mel Roberts 4:42 About Stellantis 6:50 AI in Vehicles: Current Applications and Future Potential 7:47 LLMs vs SLMs 11:54 The Evolution of Voice Interactions in Vehicles 14:30 Balancing Physical Controls and Digital Interfaces 16:58 The Importance of Personalization in Automotive UX 22:36 AI for Preventative Maintenance and Smart Diagnostics 27:11 Conclusions For this episode and more, visit: https://www.sonatus.com/resources/the...