Ford's AI assistant checks fuel, tires, and towing for 8M owners

Ford has launched a new AI-powered assistant for its Ford and Lincoln mobile apps, giving vehicle owners a chatbot that can answer practical questions such as how much fuel is needed for a road trip, whether a truck can tow a specific boat, and what future maintenance may be required. Because the app is linked to the owner's vehicle, the assistant accesses real-time telemetry, fuel levels, cargo capacity, and towing specs. Owners can even upload photos of payloads to check compatibility. Ford says the assistant can pull answers from the owner's manual as well as live vehicle data, and it will be free to use, with no subscription currently required.

The app-first rollout targets up to 8 million Ford and Lincoln owners, and Ford plans to bring a voice-powered version directly into vehicles by 2027—not via phone mirroring but as deep embedded intelligence in the car's operating system. In the meantime, Ford is integrating Google's Gemini as an opt-in alternative to Google Assistant for navigation, messaging, and media. The move comes as automakers race to add AI features: Rivian and Mercedes-Benz launched their own voice assistants, BMW is using Amazon's Alexa, and GM is working with Google's Gemini. Ford designed its assistant to be chatbot-agnostic, allowing it to work with multiple large language models. Mike Aragon, Ford's president of integrated services, said the app-first approach upgrades the existing ownership experience instantly, without waiting for a new vehicle.