Nuance Communications has announced its Nuance Voice Control Automotive, a mobile platform which allows drivers to benefit from connected services with voice commands on the basis of the Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech technology. Nuance Voice Control Automotive provides quick and seamless access to all services with a single voice user interface.

The new solution provides drivers with interaction with online services using remote speech applications. The Dragon technology is used in PC-based dictation software, as well as in the Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search applications for iPhone.
The Dragon technology is now used in cars to enable drivers to access, using voice commands, information and services, such as SMS text messaging, email capabilities, social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, weather and traffic updates, movie theatre locations, dining options price comparisons for hotels or fuel, etc.

In a iSuppli report from 2009, Egil Juliussen, PhD., Principal Analyst and Fellow, Automotive Business Unit says that “The communication-based applications that use the Internet are currently the most useful for car use. This is due to the user interface need for communication applications, which can be served by speech recognition and text-to-speech.” Juliussen’s report also notes that “Mobile search for internet content is emerging for mobile phones and will see strong growth in the car in the next five years. To minimize driver distraction, mobile search will need a speech [input/output] interface.”

“Automakers around the world are deploying in-car connected services that give drivers access to traffic reports, local business search, weather reports, and even the ability to send and receive text and email messages. However, it’s critical that these experience-altering services are accessible to the driver without creating heightened distraction behind the wheel,” said Arnd Weil, General Manager, Nuance Automotive. “Our Nuance Voice Control Automotive platform enables manufacturers to voice-enable every aspect of the in-car infotainment system, providing drivers with the ability to take advantage of these amazing connected services while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. It’s part of our larger mission to reduce dangerous driver distractions.”