Should a robotaxi AI assistant stay quiet unless you ask?

Waymo says Gemini in its Ojai vehicle is a beta assistant for cabin controls, ride information and questions. It does not steer, route or see real-time driving data; Waymo says it stays inactive unless a rider chooses it. That is the part worth protecting. A robotaxi has no driver to absorb the awkwardness when a feature talks too much. The person in the back might be late, carsick, on a phone call, or simply done with interfaces for the day. I would judge in-car AI by one plain scene: a rider gets in, says nothing, gets out, and never once has to dismiss it. The coffee recommendation and A/C request can wait behind one deliberate tap. Does “inactive until asked” feel like enough, or should quiet be an explicit ride setting?