Nuance's Dragon Drive technology will make it easier for cars and connected devices to be used by drivers.
Automakers are constantly telling us that their next generation of vehicles are going to talk to each other, talk to the road and talk to us. That’s a lot of chatter. However, talking to the car is likely to be the simplest and most efficient way to merge transportation with the “Internet of Things.”
Nuance Communications Inc., a leading provider developer of voice recognition technology and applications used in passenger cars, is testing out new systems that will make it easier for automakers to offer services that will easier for motorists to speak with a wider network of smart devices and other kinds of consumer electronics while traveling in a vehicle.
“Our cars and consumer electronics are increasingly connected, and now we’re seeing an ecosystem emerge where they are becoming connected to each other,” said Bob Schassler, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile.
“But consumer experience is key to adoption and growth, which is why voice will serve as the primary interface. Voice allows automakers to channel a powerful degree of connectivity and intelligence into a few simple words and phrases for consumers,” he said.
Nuance is best known for its “Dragon” software shown on infomercials where a woman talks into a headset and her words are then “typed” onto the screen. While the example is an oversimplification of what the company does, primarily in the medical field, it is the basis for its ideas for drivers.
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Carmakers such as Ford, BMW, Toyota and Daimler, already use Nuance’s Dragon Drive technology. Automakers and tier one suppliers that are developing connections to the wider “Internet of Things” will now be able to in the Nuance Mix platform, which the Nuance is now beginning to make available.
The number of connected devices is continuing to expand and Strategy Analytics estimates there will be more than 30 billion connected devices by 2020, nearly three times the total in 2014.
In addition, more than 20% of the cars on the road will be connected – an estimated 250 million intelligent cars, making it critical for automakers to deliver safer, smarter interaction with an expanding array of apps and services that will connect to more and more “things,” according to Statista.
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Dragon Drive’s platform allows automakers to create voice-enabled apps and services that let drivers speak to connect with smart devices and systems from behind the wheel, according to the company.
Schassler said drivers also can turn on lights or activate a home entertainment system – the possibilities are endless. “But automakers also need the ability to quickly and easily customize a consistent voice experience on companion apps running on smart devices that connect to the car – creating a meaningful two-way engagement,” he said.
With Nuance Mix, automakers have the control and flexibility necessary to extend natural language, voice recognition and text-to-speech – all fully optimized together – to wearables and consumer electronics. As a result, people can to talk to these devices to control functions in the car, like turning on the heat, or checking the fuel or charge level.
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Dragon Drive and Nuance Mix are both platform agnostic, giving automakers the freedom to create, develop and deploy deeply integrated and customized voice interfaces without boundaries, he added.