What is it?

Voice recognition is nothing new in cars, but the technology is evolving rapidly.

The most modern dictation systems, such as the Dragon Drive! technology, allow drivers to dictate text messages, e-mails and instructions for satellite navigation all without removing hands from the wheel.

How does it work?

The system uses the same microphone employed for hands-free calling. All the driver has to do is press a button, usually found on the steering wheel, and dictate a command or sentence to the car.

Once received, the recording is converted from an analogue sound wave to a low-quality digital format, and uploaded via the car’s data connection to a remote server. Here, software is able to analyse the digital sound file, looking for heavy consonants and other recognisable sounds, before converting it to text which is sent back to the car.

Based on years of research by Dragon’s developer, Nuance, the software is not only able to recognise sounds but intelligently distinguish between words based on the context, dramatically improving the accuracy of the service.

By having the data on a remote server, the service is able to recognise millions of words without requiring on-board computing power or memory. It also means a wider selection of languages and dialects, with the possibility of adding more as coverage grows.

The only disadvantage is that it relies on having a good data connection – uploading the voice recording can take significantly longer if coverage is poor. However, with a strong connection, it takes only seconds to transcribe.

Hands free, eyes on the road

Staying connected is a feature of modern business, with almost all long distance drivers equipped with a smartphone for hours spent on the road. Enabling hands free control of a far wider range of functions removes the temptation to handle the phone while driving, or to watch the infotainment screen while moving. Simply, voice recognition systems are designed to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times, without requiring complicated instructions and set phrases to operate.

When will it be here?

Nuance’s speech recognition technology is already featured in several infotainment systems, notably the latest versions of BMW’s iDrive and Audi’s MMI. In both cases, it allows e-mails and text messages to be dictated and sent entirely through voice control.

The technology is also found in Ford’s SYNC, co-developed with Microsoft, while the SIRI digital assistant found on Apple’s iPhone is also powered by Nuance’s speech recognition software. The latter is set to be integrated into eight manufacturers’ models starting in Europe with the Vauxhall ADAM supermini – said to be the first car drivers can have a conversation with.