Ahead of public availability, Waymo today introduced Gemini and a redesigned interface for its Ojai vehicles.
Similar to Android Auto and Automotive, Gemini in Waymo can answer “where is the best coffee shop nearby?” or “what’s the history of that monument?” Besides helping you explore a neighborhood, it can also provide “journey information, Waymo education, and everyday knowledge.” Gemini appears as an overlay at the bottom of the screen.
Cabin controls let you “turn the A/C to 65,” while you can issue a request to pullover via voice. However, that’s the extent of vehicle commands. Gemini “operates independently from the Waymo Driver” system and does not “control any aspect of the vehicle’s movement or routing and does not have access to real-time driving data.”
Gemini is activated from a button in the bottom-right corner of the screen as part of a redesigned interface. This “first major design update in years” is optimized for the Ojai’s large touchscreens.
Compared to the smaller screens on the Jaguar I-Pace, touch targets are much larger. In particular, media and cabin controls benefit from this revamp, with ride information remaining in view.
A “choreographed tri-screen experience” means that Waymo is not just mirroring the same info across all the displays. Rather, “information will vary based on which seats are occupied and where controls are needed.”
For example, a single rider in the right rear seat will see full controls on their screen while the other two screens may show a simplified trip status view or ambient media player. There’s also a new “Calm Mode” that “dims your screen and displays very minimal trip info for when you want a moment of zen.”
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