Voice assistants in cars gain traction slowly

Ronja Schmiedchen Ronja Schmiedchen Redaktion, Social Media & Moderation

4 June 2026 - 10:29

2 min

Voice adoption in vehicles is increasing, but user perception and real-world usage still lag behind technological progress.

Volkswagen

Voice assistants are becoming more relevant in vehicles, but everyday usage remains limited. A new study highlights growing potential for AI voice agents — and clear gaps in automotive customer service.

Voice control has long been seen as a natural interface for improving comfort and reducing driver distraction. Yet in practice, adoption remains uneven. While the technology continues to evolve, its impact in everyday driving scenarios is still limited.

According to the latest MUUUH! Voice Study 2026, 26 per cent of the German population use voice assistants while driving, for example for navigation or phone calls. This marks a slight increase from 22 per cent the previous year — but still falls short of widespread adoption.

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Benjamin Müller

Why in-car voice adoption remains limited

One of the key challenges is perception. Only 48 per cent of respondents believe that voice recognition has improved over the past one to two years, down from 58 per cent in 2023. This suggests that technological progress is not consistently reflected in user experience.

Usage also varies significantly across demographics. Men are slightly more likely to use voice assistants in the car than women, while older users remain particularly sceptical. Among respondents aged 60 and above, 60 per cent say they do not intend to use voice features in the future.

The pattern is familiar: availability alone does not drive adoption. Trust, habit and perceived value need to evolve alongside the technology. At the same time, overall expectations remain high. Nearly 60 per cent of respondents believe voice assistants will play an important role in the future of in-car interaction.

Voice assistants in cars: Key facts at a glance

In-car usage: 26% (2026) vs 22% (2025)
Perceived improvement: 48% (down from 58% in 2023)
Older users (60+): 60% do not plan to use voice
Future relevance: 59% expect voice to play a key role
Customer service: 46% expect AI voice agents to dominate
Automotive exposure: Only 15% experienced voice agents in dealerships/workshops
Willingness: 35% open to using voice agents in automotive service
Key issue: Gap between user expectations and real-world implementation
Pain point: 72% frustrated by phone menu navigation
Strategic takeaway: Voice needs to deliver real usability, not just availability

Interestingly, voice personalisation appears to be less relevant than expected. A majority of users say it does not matter whether the assistant sounds male or female. This shifts the focus towards robustness, contextual understanding and reliability rather than surface-level features.

Why voice agents matter beyond the vehicle

The relevance of voice technology extends beyond the vehicle itself, particularly into customer service and aftersales. According to the study, 46 per cent of respondents expect AI-powered voice agents to handle the majority of customer service calls within the next few years.

This signals growing acceptance of voice-based interaction across the entire customer journey. For the automotive sector, this is especially relevant in areas such as service booking, customer support and standardised enquiries.

However, the current offering lags behind expectations. Only 15 per cent of respondents report having interacted with an intelligent voice agent when contacting a dealership or workshop. At the same time, 35 per cent say they would be willing to use such systems in this context.

Compared with other industries — such as utilities, telecommunications or logistics — the automotive sector ranks last in terms of real-world exposure to voice agents. This highlights a clear gap between potential and implementation.

The study also points to a broader usability issue. Around 72 per cent of respondents find it frustrating to navigate long phone menus before reaching the right contact point. For automotive organisations, this goes beyond convenience. It raises fundamental questions about how customer communication can be automated without compromising user acceptance.

The conclusion is twofold. In the vehicle, voice remains a high-potential technology with limited everyday adoption. In customer service, user readiness is already ahead of industry implementation. For OEMs, dealerships and service networks, this creates a clear mandate: improve the reliability and usability of in-car voice systems — and accelerate the integration of voice agents into customer-facing processes, as voice becomes a key interface in software-defined vehicles.