Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that it is providing automotive-grade speech recognition for Geely, China’s fastest-growing automotive manufacturer, as Geely embarks upon a joint venture with PROTON, the Malaysian automaker, to jointly develop vehicles for sale in Southeast Asia and beyond. This marks the first time any speech recognition provider has built AI-powered speech solutions specifically for Southeast Asia.
Through their joint venture, Geely will provide PROTON with a set of vehicle platform technologies, including Nuance’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered speech solutions built specifically for the car. Working with Geely, Nuance leveraged its Dragon Drive connected car platform to develop a speech solution comprised of automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding and text to speech capabilities optimized for use in Southeast Asia, with a focus on recognition and accuracy for Malaysian-accented English. The solution also provides a specialized, voice-powered user interface and experience that includes in-vehicle controls like air conditioning, car windows, and sunroof; music control; navigation; and content search for points of interest, music and weather.
“We’re proud to be part of this historic joint venture between Geely and PROTON, which is sure to transform the automotive market in China and Southeast Asia,” said Stefan Ortmanns, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Automotive. “This represents a significant step forward in our efforts to partner with automakers in the region, and we look forward to leveraging our presence to expand our support for Geely and PROTON as they begin their work together.”
“Part of the goal of our joint venture with PROTON is to bring more advanced and innovative cars and enhanced mobility to the Southeast Asia region, and technology innovation in the car is a big part of that,” said Yang Jun, Vice President, PROTON. “It’s clear that AI-powered speech recognition will have a significant role to play, of course in today’s vehicles, but also in the car of the future. Our work with Nuance is extremely important as we work toward that future.”
Nuance Automotive specializes in conversational AI technologies for the car, helping automotive manufacturers deliver unique user experiences to their customers. With the Dragon Drive platform, Nuance offers a deeply integrated, hybrid solution that can be customized to become a smart automotive assistant that is seamlessly integrated into the user’s connected ecosystem. Today, Dragon Drive ships globally in more than 200 million cars across more than 40 languages, creating conversational experiences for Audi, BMW, Daimler, Fiat, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Toyota, SAIC, and more. To learn more about the ways in which Dragon Drive is amplifying the intelligence of the connected car, visit Dragon Drive on nuance.com.
About Nuance Communications, Inc.
Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) is the pioneer and leader in conversational AI innovations that bring intelligence to everyday work and life. The Company delivers solutions that can understand, analyze and respond to human language to increase productivity and amplify human intelligence. With decades of domain and artificial intelligence expertise, Nuance works with thousands of organizations – in global industries that include healthcare, telecommunications, automotive, financial services, and retail – to create stronger relationships and better experiences for their customers and workforces. For more information, please visit www.nuance.com.
Trademark reference: Nuance and the Nuance logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
