ChatGPT Voice Mode While Driving
I got my own car for the first time in my life late last year. Back when I was living in Tokyo, I never needed one—public transportation could take you just about anywhere. But now that I’m in the Bay Area, I’ve realized how inconvenient life can be without a car. Since getting mine, I’ve really come to enjoy the driving experience—well, unless I’m stuck in heavy traffic.
Naturally, I started thinking about how to make the most of my time behind the wheel. If I’m driving for an hour a day, that’s about 30 hours a month. That’s more than a full day—time I don’t want to waste.
I’ve experimented with different ways to stay productive: podcasts, audiobooks, and listening to short videos. But after trying them all, I realized the most valuable use of that time has been talking to ChatGPT in its advanced voice mode.
Here’s why. First, you’re in full control of the experience. With podcasts or audiobooks, content just keeps flowing—it’s not easy to pause or rewind while you are driving. And honestly, most of them, especially podcasts, don’t have high information density. With ChatGPT, I can easily ask it to stop, repeat, summarize, or go deeper.
Second, voice conversations with ChatGPT handle interruptions far better. While driving, your attention shifts. With podcasts or audiobooks, missing just five seconds can be frustrating. But with ChatGPT, it’s easy to pick up where you left off. Just ask it to recap or continue.
Third, I can review the conversation later. Having saved history means I don’t lose valuable insights I might otherwise forget.
Now, on my way to the office, I talk about goals I want to accomplish or reflect on what I learned the day before. On the way home, I review what I’ve learned and dig deeper through follow-up questions. Sometimes, I just ask for fun facts about biology or chemistry. Other times, I request an inspiring story. The variety keeps things fresh.
To make this a habit, I even set up a trigger: as soon as my iPhone connects to my Tesla via Bluetooth, ChatGPT’s voice mode opens automatically.