Voice control features get 'louder' in cars

Makers in the automotive industry are promising smarter cars, with new voice control features coming on strong.

Automaker Ford is looking to tap into the capabilities of Amazon’s Alexa. With integration of the popular voice assistant, drivers can link homes and cars, the goal that has been made known by the two companies the past year. At the Consumer Electronics Show held recently in Las Vegas though, Ford has laid out more features to expect, where cars with Alexa can better understand spoken instructions for streaming music, getting weather updates, setting events on calendars, and shopping on Amazon, as compared to vehicles with only built-in voice recognition systems that easily get interfered by outdoor noises.

Also upgrading its voice-controlled cars is Hyundai, recently teaming up with Google to connect its vehicles to Google Assistant, which is accessible by Amazon Alexa-rival Google Home. The linking software allows drivers to run entertainment systems and open or secure their cars. Models supporting the feature will be available in the market soon.

Improvements also address major concerns on driver distraction voice-controlled car systems create. The more efficient these systems or aiding technologies get, the less time it takes for drivers to put their attention back on the road.

With automobile and Internet of Things player partnerships coming to fruition, demand for voice assistant-aided cars could increase. Market research firm Technavio estimates a 7.36 percent CAGR for voice recognition in the US automotive industry alone as 2019 approaches, so a future where not just homes, but vehicles too, are conveniently voice-controlled is fast approaching.