BMW is preparing a major update to its in car voice experience in 2026. The company will expand the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant using Amazon’s Alexa Plus architecture, with the first implementation arriving in the BMW iX3. The goal is simple and ambitious at the same time. Turn voice from a list of commands into a useful conversation that controls the vehicle, answers questions, and connects to everyday services.
The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is the brand’s built in helper for navigation, media, climate, and general queries. The next version runs on a large language model that understands natural language and generates its own responses. By adopting Alexa Plus, BMW becomes the first carmaker to integrate this generation of assistant technology directly into a production vehicle. That move shifts voice control from fixed phrases to freeform dialogue. Passengers can speak as they normally would, combine topics, and get follow ups that make sense in context.
Linking an Amazon account will enable familiar services. Drivers can search and stream music, retrieve public news, and tap into a wide range of content without reaching for a phone. The assistant is designed to handle mixed requests that blend car functions with open domain knowledge. This is where the upgrade stands out in daily use.
The system no longer relies on predefined commands. It supports a free choice of words and understands multi part questions. A driver might ask, “Hey BMW what is the most famous painting in the world and where can I see it.” The assistant can respond with “Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre” and then connect that answer to a vehicle function. Saying “Take me there” starts turn by turn guidance to the museum. The assistant learns from these exchanges to respond more precisely over time and to better anticipate intent.
“Our partnership with Amazon is based on a shared vision of technological excellence,” says Stephan Durach, BMW Group Senior Vice President Development, Digital Services, Infotainment, Connected Company. “This has resulted in a product that sets new standards in the naturalness of human vehicle interaction through the use of artificial intelligence. With the addition of Amazon’s Alexa Plus technology to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the vehicle becomes an intelligent companion for its users.”
“BMW Group has been fantastic to work with as we introduce the first implementation of the new Alexa Custom Assistant. BMW’s advanced technology, combined with the intelligence and conversational capabilities of Alexa Plus, creates a truly sophisticated in vehicle experience,” says Daniel Rausch, Vice President of Alexa and Echo.
Features at a glance
- Natural language with free wording. No need to memorize specific phrases.
- Multi intent conversations. Users can combine questions about vehicle features and general knowledge in one request.
- Context awareness and follow ups. The assistant keeps track of the topic and can act on next steps such as navigation.
- Amazon account linking. Easier access to music, news, and other services already used at home or on mobile.
- Foundation in generative AI. A large language model powers understanding and response generation for more human sounding interaction.
BMW will present the enhanced assistant at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. In the second half of 2026, BMW iX3 customers in Germany and the United States will be the first to use the version powered by Alexa Plus. Additional markets and model series will follow in stages. The iX3 user experience will run on the new BMW Panoramic iDrive control concept with BMW Operating System X.
BMW plans to extend this AI technology across the full model range over time. The company notes that the latest availability will arrive in the second half of 2026 for vehicles equipped with BMW Operating System 9 and BMW Operating System X, with a gradual rollout by model line.
The assistant has been central to BMW iDrive since 2018. In 2022, the brand added Alexa Custom Assistant to broaden information sources and speed up responses. In 2025, vehicles running Operating System 9 gained new capabilities that included music search, news, sports, and general knowledge. The 2026 update layers Alexa Plus on top of that foundation, signaling a move toward the software defined vehicle and tighter links to the digital services people already use.
BMW is not just adding another voice skill. It is shifting to a conversational model that speaks the way drivers do and ties answers directly to useful actions in the car. If BMW delivers on the promise shown here, the iX3 will set the tone for how voice can feel less like a button press and more like a dialogue that gets things done.
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