Automotive

Dragon Drive! aims to deliver distraction-free driving for the connected car

View 4 Images
Dragon Drive! will provide hands-free control of various in car features
Dragon Drive! will provide hands-free control of various in car features
Dragon Drive! will take dictation of email and text messages and read out received messages
Dragon Drive! can understand naturally spoken language
Dragon Drive! can provide access to in car navigation
View gallery - 4 images

Nuance Communications, the company responsible for the Dragon line of speech recognition software, has announced a new natural-language voice platform designed specifically for in car use. Targeted at automotive manufacturers and suppliers, the Dragon Drive! platform will allow hands-free and eyes-free dictation of text messages and emails, and voice control of car entertainment and navigation systems.

The rise of the connected car has enabled drivers to access a variety of content and information, but often at the expense of safety, with texting while driving being particularly dangerous. Like similar voice recognition solutions, Dragon Drive! aims to let drivers remain connected without having to take their eyes off the road or their hands off the wheel.

Nuance does have an advantage in developing its car-specific platform though - it is able to leverage the core technologies found in its Dragon Dictation and Dragon Go! applications combined with it’s microphone and noise cancellation technology.

This system allows drivers to dictate and send a text or email message, listen to received text messages and emails, get instant directions, and search and listen to a specific song, artist, or even a news item, regardless of whether the content is stored in the car or on the Internet.

While there is no word on whether any automotive manufacturers have come on board with plans for in car devices based on the platform, Nuance has launched Dragon Drive! Messaging in six languages – U.S. English, U.K. English, French, Italian, German and Spanish – with additional services and languages to be added throughout the year.

Here’s a video from Nuance showing how the Dragon Drive! platform will function.

Source: Nuance Communications

View gallery - 4 images
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
5 comments
Jamie_S
Already being done with some great phone apps on android and iphone.
Vlingo gives you have hands free voice activated access to navigation, e-mail dictation, SMS dictation and reads messages out to you as they come in.
And the best thing about it is that when you get OUT of your car, it goes with you!
(Oh and it's free...)
Bob Strong
Seems to me driving a car is what we ought to be focused on behind the wheel, not worrying about email, dictating letters, or catching up with our latest Facebook friend. Call me old fashioned, but when guiding a couple tons of steel through the streets, I really want all the drivers paying attention to the task of driving.
VoiceofReason
Very much agreed Bob. Companies should stop trying to entertain the driver. Make it so most of those functions can only be accessed from the passenger and back seats.
Denis Klanac
VoiceofReason yes so your kids can put on some loud punk music to annoy the hell out off you, how is that safe?
VoiceofReason
Really Denis? Ever heard of a lock out, like they've had for power windows since......the SIXTIES?