HARMAN is teaming up with Cerence to add voice capabilities to its in-car Ignite Store. The HARMAN Ignite Store offers a collection of third-party applications for smart vehicles, and the partnership with Cerence will allow drivers to access those applications through the Store with simple voice commands.
The Cerence platform offers voice recognition, text-to-speech, and natural language understanding capabilities. The HARMAN integration will enable a hands-free utility, which will make driving safer because customers will be able to use app services without needing to take their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road. The voice technology can also be used to control other aspects of the vehicle, including the navigation and temperature control systems.
“Voice is becoming more and more pivotal in the context of in-vehicle experiences,” said HARMAN VP and Ignite Store GM Albert Jordan. “By collaborating with Cerence, we are helping our OEM customers and Android Automotive developers to introduce innovative, voice-powered apps and services that will enhance the passengers’ experiences.”
“Today’s consumers are accustomed to a constantly improving, smartphone-like user experience across their mobile and connected devices,” added Cerence CEO Sanjay Dhawan. “We’re proud to partner with HARMAN to bring these rich, connected experiences to the car, keeping drivers safe, productive, and entertained.”
Cerence went on to suggest that developers can use its technology to generate new revenue streams through the creation of new voice-powered on-road services. HARMAN has previously sung the praises of the company’s Cerence Studio platform, which debuted in June of 2020 and allows developers to build their own in-car voice assistants. Meanwhile, Cerence’s new Head of Professional Services joined the company after serving as HARMAN’s VP of Innovation Services.
Cerence recently provided similar voice controls for the SiriusXM radio platform. The company has also been building up its Cerence Pay ecosystem through partnerships with CarPay-Diem and ryd pay.
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