How Automotive is On the Road to Expanding In-Car Experiences with Conversational AI

Jul 14, 2022

5 MIN READ

How Automotive is On the Road to Expanding In-Car Experiences with Conversational AI

Team SoundHound

The in-car experience is rapidly expanding for drivers and passengers looking for more than just a fast engine and safety features but also comfort and entertainment via hands-free interactions that allow them to access the internet and control the interior of the car while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Automotive manufacturers are delivering on the promise of luxury and comfort by providing their drivers and passengers with conversational voice assistants, and more car buyers are looking for voice technology in their purchases too. According to Voicebot.ai’s Annual Report, the total in-car voice assistant user base in the U.S. for 2022 is 38% larger than smart speakers.

Already leading automotive brands, such as Stellantis, Hyundai, and Mercedes, are adopting voice AI technology for their vehicles to keep up with customer demand and surpass expectations with in-car experiences that keep drivers and passengers excited to be on the road.

SoundHound delivers in-car voice experiences to the most popular Stellantis vehicle brands in Europe

SoundHound and Stellantis are collaborating for the delivery of SoundHound’s advanced voice AI technology, including its innovative Edge+Cloud connectivity, multiple language abilities, and custom wake words, to Stellantis’ most popular former PSA vehicles and former FCA B-SUV segment vehicles in Europe.

Key to the enhanced in-car experience is SoundHound’s breakthrough Edge+Cloud connectivity technology. Through a seamlessly arbitrated combination of embedded and cloud-connected voice AI technology, drivers maintain access to navigation and other critical information—even when cloud connection is lost or unavailable.

The addition of multi-language voice AI capabilities and custom wake words ensure Stellantis models can meet the growing needs of customers in global auto markets and retain brand name recognition through a customized experience.

The partnership with Stellantis marks the first time SoundHound’s Speech-to-Meaning® and Deep Meaning Understanding® technologies have been made available in a unified hybrid (cloud and embedded) in-car voice experience. SoundHound’s Edge+Cloud and Active Arbitration technologies work together to ensure that regardless of the query, the voice assistant will always return the most accurate answer quickly—delivering seamless access to information like navigation and full in-car control, with or without connection to the cloud.

“Our partnership with SoundHound began in 2018 with a goal to achieve mass production of voice-enabled vehicles by the end of 2021—starting with our ex-PSA models and then expanding to ex-FCA brands for Europe and China. The powerful hybrid cloud and embedded connectivity of SoundHound’s Voice AI platform allows us to deliver always-on voice experiences for customers on the go.”
Alexandre Fromion
Senior Expert Connectivity & Infotainment, Stellantis

Through SoundHound’s advanced conversational technology, drivers can get in the car and say things like:

“Where can I eat pizza at my destination?”
“Will it snow tomorrow in Chamonix?”
“Give me a list of hotels with free wifi in Nice”

Even when the internet is not available, drivers can control their car simply saying:

“Increase the temperature by 2 degrees”
“Take me to Victor’s house”
“Call Alice on her mobile”
“I need to go to Transport Avenue in London”

“Our long-standing partnership with Stellantis is a direct result of SoundHound’s sophisticated end-to-end solution. It’s a truly disruptive voice AI, and the result of over 17 years of innovation. Our technology offers companies full control over their brand, user data, and privacy policies, while delivering the greatest value for third-party integration.”
Keyvan Mohajer
Co-Founder and CEO, SoundHound

Prior to the introduction of SoundHound’s Edge+Cloud and Active Arbitration technologies, car manufacturers wanting users to be able to both control in-car functions and get information from the cloud had to settle for solutions that took several seconds to search one platform and then the other looking for a response. SoundHound’s Active Arbitration technology and its ability to deliver a query to the cloud and the embedded system simultaneously is key to the faster, more accurate conversational experience possible with the Edge+Cloud solution.

The addition of a voice assistant in multiple languages reflects Stellantis’ global market presence and the need to provide a voice user interface that allows drivers to use the language they’re most comfortable speaking, including French, US English, UK English, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese & Chinese. Other languages, including Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, Polish, Swedish, Russian, Czech, Danish, Korean and Norwegian are planned to be released over the next 18 months.

Edge+Cloud connectivity for in-car voice assistants

Edge+Cloud connectivity offers the best of both worlds by delivering embedded technology and connection to the internet. Drivers can use the edge features, such as rolling up and down the windows, turning on or off seat warmers, or turning on the air, while also having access to a host of resources with cloud connectivity, including streaming music, navigation, search, and more.

“Edge+Cloud connectivity offers the best of both worlds by delivering embedded technology and connection to the internet.”

If drivers decide to take the scenic route and lose internet access, the voice assistant’s Edge+Cloud features will still work and be able to respond to drivers and passengers’ queries and commands.

Having access to the internet opens up many doors for personalization and monetization capabilities that deliver value to drivers, such as food ordering and suggestions based on past search history. Cloud connectivity also provides drivers and passengers with emergency services by being able to connect with help by just using their voice, even if they can’t reach their phone.

By choosing Edge+Cloud connectivity for their in-car experiences, auto manufacturers are providing their drivers and passengers with a solution that fits their needs, wants, and expectations by delivering a variety of capabilities. Stellantis and other auto manufacturers are delivering to their customers conversational experiences that will enhance the in-car experience.

At SoundHound, we have all the tools and expertise needed to create custom voice assistants and a consistent brand voice. Explore SoundHound’s independent voice AI platform at SoundHound.com and register for a free account here. Want to learn more? Talk to us about how we can help bring your voice strategy to life.