Launched at the end of 2020, Kiki Auto, an in-car voice assistant developed by Zalo’s engineering team, quickly became one of the most prominent Vietnamese tech products. Reaching the milestone of 1 million installations by late 2024, Kiki Auto not only demonstrates strong market adoption but also reflects the trust Vietnamese users place in a truly “Make in Vietnam” solution. Focus on Core Needs Unlike many global products that aim to cover a wide range of features for worldwide audiences, the Kiki Auto team chose a different approach: starting with the most essential needs of Vietnamese people when using a car. After thorough research and refinement, Kiki Auto prioritizes two key features: music playback and navigation. These two features have been the subject of research and development for many years, resulting in outstanding completeness and quality. This focus has enabled Kiki Auto to stand out clearly from international competitors and build long-term user trust and habits. Deep Localization Advantage Developed by Zalo AI, Kiki Auto benefits from an inherent understanding of local language and culture. The assistant can recognize and interpret Vietnamese speech naturally and intelligently, in conversation. Kiki Auto is also trained to understand regional accents across Vietnam, allowing users from all regions to interact comfortably and naturally. Beyond correctly understanding commands, Kiki Auto also provides a sense of familiarity through its concise, direct, yet friendly responses. For example, when a user commands, "Chỉ đường tới cây xăng gần nhất" (Navigate to the nearest gas station), Kiki Auto immediately responds: Đang chỉ đường tới trạm xăng gần đây trên ứng dụng Google Maps" (Navigating to the nearby gas station on Google Maps). These small details create a significant difference in the user experience.To continually improve, Zalo engineers frequently update Kiki Auto’s advanced end-to-end speech recognition model, expand regional accent datasets, incorporate real-world noise samples, and fine-tune based on daily user behavior.

A Comprehensive Upgrade with Kiki Auto Premium Starting August 2025, Kiki Auto officially introduces Kiki Auto Premium, a new suite of enhanced features that further improve driving safety and convenience:

• Traffic Alerts: Clear on-screen warnings for speed limits, traffic cameras, restricted signs, and more, helping drivers proactively comply and avoid violations.
• Smart Infraction Reporting (Phạt Nguội): Automatically checks and delivers periodic notifications about traffic fines so drivers can stay informed and take timely action.
• AI News Bulletin: Uses Generative AI technology to edit and broadcast news and sports bulletins with a professional announcer voice, delivering a "radio news listening" experience right in the car.
• Personal Address Book: Saves common destinations such as “home,” “office,” or “hometown” to simplify navigation commands and reduce manual input.

The Premium package not only expands functionality but elevates the experience, turning Kiki Auto into a true driving companion on every journey. Impressive Growth and Strong Market Recognition Over the past three years, Kiki Auto has achieved a series of notable milestones:

• Rapid growth: From 100,000 installations in August 2022 to 1 million installations by late 2024, making it the fastest-growing product in the Zalo ecosystem.
• Trusted by the automotive industry: Kiki Auto is now integrated into the smart screens of 25 global car accessory brands, including Zestech, Gotech, Bravigo, Safeview, TexPad, Steelmate, and Teyes.
• Industry accolades: Awarded “Best Voice Assistant” at the VnExpress Tech Awards 2024, recognized by both experts and the tech community.

A Testament to Vietnam’s Technological Capability With over 1 million installations and presence in more than 20% of cars in Vietnam, Kiki Auto has become the fastest-growing product in Zalo’s history. This number is even more impressive when compared to global names like Android Auto, which currently reaches 200 million vehicles worldwide. The success of Kiki Auto is not just the achievement of one product but a testament to the technological capability of the Vietnamese people: creating world-class AI solutions specifically designed for the domestic market.