Voice-Enabled Entertainment and Music Extend In-Car Experiences

Kristen Stephens

In-car music experiences have undergone a technological evolution over the years, with newer models offering more alternatives for listening to the radio or streaming favorite music apps. Essential to the modern driving experience, music has become a must-have for car buyers and hands-free access has emerged as an essential safety feature. Car owners now view the age of their car and the need to upgrade to a newer model not based on the wear and tear or type of engine but on the quality of the infotainment system and the availability of better music experiences. As a result, delivering frictionless and delightful in-car entertainment is no longer a luxury for automotive OEMs—it’s an imperative.

According to Statista, 52% of drivers in the United States listen to the radio, 15% stream their own playlists, and 12% listen to online audio. The number of music listeners reflects consumer demands for ease, convenience, and entertainment for everyone in the vehicle—including passengers.

Music is a natural element of the in-car experience, and pushing buttons or swiping and typing across devices creates a barrier and distraction. By adding conversational AI capabilities, drivers and passengers will experience the speed and efficiency of accessing entertainment and in-car operability features by asking for what they want conversationally and naturally. It will also improve driving safety with hands-free accessibility. As more companies continue to adopt the technology and join the voice-first era, users will continuously seek out better in-car listening experiences.

VinFast and SoundHound partner for in-car music recognition

VinFast and SoundHound are partnering to provide a music search and recognition feature for VinFast’s in-car infotainment systems. With SoundHound’s advanced music recognition technology, users will be able to ask what song is playing—or simply sing or hum a part of a song—and the infotainment system will respond with the artist’s name, song name, and album name.

The technology that makes this possible also resides in SoundHound’s music app, which was launched in 2009 and has gained over 300 million global users. Giving drivers and passengers the ability to discover music just by using their voice enhances the in-car experience and expands entertainment possibilities.

Giving drivers and passengers the ability to discover music just by using their voice enhances the in-car experience and expands entertainment possibilities.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with SoundHound and are looking forward to deploying their music recognition technology throughout our in-car infotainment systems, said Dr. Hong Bae, VinFast Chief Technology Officer, “Creating an exceptional driving experience is more important than ever, and this feature will contribute to providing excellent entertainment and exciting driving experiences to our drivers and passengers.”

VinFast is a smart EV manufacturer headquartered in Vietnam. Founded in 2017, they are the first and only Vietnamese automotive manufacturer to sell cars outside of Vietnam, expand into global markets, and produce electric cars, e-scooters, and e-buses.

Voice-enabled music experiences on the rise

Drivers and passengers are increasingly expecting ease, convenience, and efficiency from their music listening and streaming experiences, and voice assistants are delivering on that promise with quick, hands-free access to entertainment features.

To make the in-car experience as exceptional as possible, music listening experiences need to be conversational, allowing drivers and passengers to ask for what they want naturally and casually without having to memorize a script or repeat themselves. Instead of having to say something awkward and formal like, “Give me the artist and title of the song that is currently playing,” conversational capabilities allow users to speak more freely. For example, they could say, “What’s this song?” or “Who’s this?” and the voice assistant will understand their request.

As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for conversational AI and in-car music experiences will continue to grow, and brands, such as VinFast, are investing in the voice-first era with infotainment solutions that exceed their customers’ wants, needs, and expectations for in-car experiences.

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.