Automakers get in-sync
Smartphones help voice technology evolve in new cars
At the 2010 New York Auto Show, I discussed the future of design with Derek Johnson, Mazda’s U.S. design head. We discussed a futuristic automotive design that relied on consumers bringing their technology to their cars. In effect, automobiles wouldn’t have entertainment systems because people would be wearing their technology.
They aren’t yet wearing their technology, but they are bringing it to their cars in Apple or Android smartphones that operate on voice commands. The technology is about to become much more mainstream in the coming months as more manufacturers roll it out into their cars.
Apple CarPlay was first introduced on one of the most expensive cars on the road, the Ferrari FF. But it is filtering down to affordable cars and will eventually be in Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Mazda, Fiat and other brands. The 2015 Hyundai Sonata with navigation became the leader in voice command via smartphones May 26, when Android Auto went live for the first time in a production car in the United States.
Plug your smartphone into the Sonata, and you’re up and running with voice commands. It’s that simple.
Android Auto is safe. It keeps your eyes focused on driving, not your phone. Hyundai reports the system will automatically lock your phone’s screen when in use. You can only use Android Auto, which displays on the navigation unit. That means voice commands (or touch screen, which isn’t as safe) to run the various apps like Google Maps, Google Now, messaging, phone calling and Google Play Music. These applications can also be controlled by steering-wheel controls. Android Auto will also offer many popular third-party audio apps.
The granddaddy of the voice command systems would have to be Ford Sync. It was horrible when first introduced because you almost had to speak like a computer to get it to respond to you. (Google “ford sync Craig Fitzgerald” to see a video of how bad it used to be.)
Now Ford Sync 3 is almost a thing of beauty. It has minimized the number of voice commands. Now you can speak instinctively and say, “Play Garth Brooks” and it finds the song. The system also integrates with your iPhone through Siri Eyes-Free control.
You may be wondering, why go through the expense of in-car systems like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Ford Sync when your smartphone offers all the same features. It’s a question of safety. Hyundai cited a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration study when announcing Android Auto that claims at any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cellphones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.
As cars become quieter on the inside (thanks to noise, vibration, harshness improvements), voice technology will improve by leaps and bounds. You’ll feel like Capt. Kirk on the bridge of the USS Enterprise as you proclaim, “Find me Starbucks.”
If only we could get the systems to respond, “Aye, aye, captain.”