Technology has been at the forefront of mobility, and with digitization disrupting all business verticals, the automobile industry is in for exciting times. Self-driving, autonomous cars such as Tesla, Waymo, and many more have hit the roads in the last couple of years, bringing about the biggest transformation since the invention of ICE engines. This is compelling the entire automotive sector to rethink and redefine the entire driving experience (right from entering the car, to car ignition, in-vehicle temperature control, parking, exit, infotainment, and what not!). The focus is to automate and digitize in-vehicle functions alongside ensuring superior safety, connectivity, comfort, and in-vehicle infotainment. This, more efficient, data-powered, and driverless ecosystem will define the future of the in-vehicle driving experience. Powering this experience is the AI-driven digital voice assistant, which has emerged as the key for automotive businesses to get a competitive edge in the market.
How did it all begin?
Over the last few years, AI-powered digital voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, etc. have completely transformed the way people operate and perform their regular tasks. The advent of in-vehicle digital voice assistants stemmed from the growing trend of people using their mobile phones to make calls, ask for directions with the help of navigation apps, etc. Mercedes-Benz and Honda were some of the early movers in the market to develop voice-enabled assistants to control the infotainment system in cars.
Today, these voice assistants are capable of performing a host of tasks that make driving effortless and “hands-free” such as making calls, navigating the route, sending texts, playing music, enquiring about restaurants, tuning into your favourite radio station, controlling smart home devices, placing an order for food pick-up, shop online… the list is long!
There are also smart virtual assistants like Mihup AVA that take the game to a whole new level with a variety of additional benefits. Drivers can operate infotainment, control temperature, and carry out various other tasks using voice commands through Mihup AVA. The system can work offline and offers a seamless user experience even in low or no network areas. Mihup AVA is available in major Indian languages and compatible with Linux and Android Auto OS with single-core and dual-core processors. It supports over-the-air wireless updates and offers special control for EVs including offline navigation, and third-party search engines. Users can identify a location with simplified 3-word addresses and there is so much more!
The future of in-vehicle digital voice assistants
As per a recent survey of car owners, by 2022, 73% of them expect to use AI-powered digital voice assistants in their vehicles. With autonomous or driverless vehicles gradually becoming a norm rather than an exception, car passengers will have less to worry about operating the car. As a result, in-car infotainment can be managed hands-free, and passengers can focus on other productivity-related tasks such as preparing a presentation on the go and so on. Also, with the focus shifting to shared mobility over individual ownership of cars, cloud-based digital voice assistants are likely to gain momentum. Work is also underway to develop technologies that tell the passengers not only what is happening in the car, but also around it, along the route or at the destination in real-time.
Points to Note for Automakers
The time has come for the fence-sitting automobile companies to take a call on this subject. They can either opt to build their own voice assistant, license one from a third party, or collaborate with a voice AI company renowned for the accuracy and responsiveness of its solutions. While opting for a digital assistant most people are familiar with, may seem like an easy way out, it might not be the best option. Integrating an off-the-shelf, common solution wouldn’t deliver a distinctive or superior customer experience and might make the brand miss out on its unique identity. There are various other factors that merit consideration such as data control, user experience, safer driving experience, convenience, and even features like noise-cancelling for superior accuracy, etc.
AI is invading our lives faster than we know it. While big tech companies like Tesla and Google are working towards making autonomous cars a way of life for people across the globe, the world has already taken the next step and started talking about drone taxis. With such AI-powered transportation being envisioned as the future of mobility (and even being turned into a reality), there is no doubt that voice AI or digital voice assistants will be in the driving seat, leading this revolution.
(The author is Mr. Harmandeep Singh Matharu, Chief Technology Officer, Mihup and the views expressed in this article are his own)
