At CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Volvo revealed details of its wearable-enabled voice-control system for vehicles, which was developed in collaboration with Microsoft. It will enable Volvo owners to talk to their car via their Microsoft Band 2, so they can instruct the vehicle to perform tasks including setting the navigation, starting the heater, locking the doors, flashing the lights or sounding the horn via Volvo’s mobile app, Volvo on Call, and the connected wearable device. The technology will be available for customers in spring 2016.
Meanwhile, at CES, Harman also announced its partnership with Microsoft on the development of connected vehicle technology. This project will introduce new mobile productivity services, as well as utilize existing products, services and technologies, including cloud platforms, telematics and driver productivity, to offer better convenience, safety and reliability for drivers and greater operating efficiency for auto manufacturers.
Most importantly, the collaboration will integrate key elements of Microsoft Office 365 productivity suite capabilities into Harman infotainment systems.
With access to relevant Office 365 services through intelligent personal assistant software, drivers can complete tasks without compromising safety including scheduling meetings, hearing and responding to emails, automatically joining conference calls without having to manually input the phone number and passcode, and seamlessly managing events and tasks throughout the day.
January 6, 2016
