Cerence and PATEO are proving to be a popular combination for Asian auto manufacturers. This time around, the two companies will be teaming up to deliver an in-car voice assistant for the new Aeolus AX7 from China’s Dongfeng Motors.
The assistant itself will be built with Cerence ARK, a localized AI Reference Kit that makes it easier to develop and deploy conversational voice technology. Features include custom wake words, natural language understanding, and text-to-speech capabilities, all of which allow drivers to control various aspects of their vehicle while on the road with simple voice commands.
PATEO CONNECT+, meanwhile, will design and build a head unit to house the virtual assistant.
“As we built the Aeolus AX7, the in-car experience and voice-powered control for key functions was a top priority,” said Dongfeng in a statement. “The combination of Cerence ARK and PATEO’s head unit has accelerated our speed to market and reduced costs while still delivering a smart, natural experience for our Aeolus AX7 drivers.”
“Chinese drivers have made it clear that sophisticated, intuitive technologies are a key piece of their satisfaction with their cars, and automakers are taking notice,” said Cerence SVP and Mobility and IoT GM Charles Kuai. “We are proud to work with Dongfeng and PATEO to create this automotive assistant experience that will impress drivers and spark continued innovation.”
Cerence has formed deals with several Chinese automakers since releasing Cerence ARK at the tail end of 2019. Beijing Electric Vehicle and NIO recently announced that Cerence would be providing conversational technology for their new electric vehicles, while Great Wall Motors and the Geely Auto Group announced similar Cerence partnerships earlier in the year.
PATEO is a connected car specialist, and previously collaborated with Cerence to develop a similar virtual assistant for SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile vehicles for the Indonesian market. The new assistant will build on Cerence’s prior collaboration with Wuling Motors.
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