TomTom, a Dutch digital mapping company, has partnered with Microsoft to develop a new conversational assistant for vehicles powered by artificial intelligence. This assistant, utilizing Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service, allows drivers to interact with their vehicles via voice, accessing features such as infotainment, navigation, and vehicle commands. As automakers focus on integrating smart assistant technology into dashboards, the partnership aims to provide a natural way for drivers to interact with their cars while keeping their eyes on the road.
Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service provides the immense computing power needed to create an assistant capable of handling natural conversations. The service offers access to advanced language models developed by OpenAI, enabling the assistant to understand context and hold conversations with users. Unlike integrating an existing voice assistant like Alexa, TomTom chose to build a custom assistant optimized for the automotive environment, drawing on its expertise in navigation and location technology.
The conversational assistant allows drivers to access useful car functions simply by using their voice, such as asking for directions, playing music, or adjusting vehicle settings. By integrating the assistant with vehicle infotainment systems in multiple car brands, TomTom aims to provide a safer and more comfortable driving experience for users. This partnership builds on a longstanding collaboration between TomTom and Microsoft, focusing on innovation in location technology and artificial intelligence.
Overall, the new conversational assistant developed by TomTom and Microsoft represents a significant advancement in smart assistant technology for vehicles. By leveraging the power of AI and natural language processing, the assistant offers a convenient and safe way for drivers to interact with their cars while on the road. This partnership demonstrates the potential for combining expertise in digital mapping, navigation, and artificial intelligence to drive innovation in the automotive industry.
Article Source
https://readwrite.com/tomtom-brings-ai-assistant-to-cars-with-microsfts-help/
