• Apple’s integration of ChatGPT and Siri voice enhancements in CarPlay presents a critical moment for automakers regarding the future of the in-car experience.
• Automakers want to maintain control over their unique automotive user experience.
• They face multiple operational challenges in the harsh audio-vehicle operating environment.
• This blog looks at Apple’s announcements and how SoundHound AI‘s 8+ years of experience in automotive, including the first-to-market generative AI voice assistant, matches up.

Apple excels in the consumer space

The automotive industry stands at a critical turning point, where the integration of AI and voice technology is no longer a luxury. Apple’s decision to incorporate ChatGPT and advanced voice AI into CarPlay signals a major shift in how tech giants view the car as an extension of our digital lives. Yet this move also brings into sharp focus the specialized nature of automotive AI, a domain where SoundHound has been quietly innovating and leading for the past 8+ years.

Apple’s announcement of Apple Intelligence, at its June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference reflects a major advance in how iPhone and iPad users interact with their devices. By combining the power of generative AI models with an update to Siri’s voice capabilities, Apple intends that its AI-powered system will intelligently access and utilize information across apps and services on each user’s device in ways not previously possible.

Apple’s exciting vision of a generative AI-powered consumer experience.

This is where Apple has always excelled — bringing innovative technologies to a large consumer audience. The iphone itself, streaming music, map guidance, to name only a few. And we see these same skills at play with AI, potentially making generative AI and voice AI as widely accepted by consumers and as easy to use as much of what Apple has accomplished previously. 

But we see a different dynamic playing out in the automotive industry.

Unique challenges of the in-car experience 

While Apple CarPlay has enabled consumers to bring the functionality of their iphones into their cars, CarPlay was always separate from the main head unit of the car. Streaming music and map navigation were one thing; controlling car functions was another.  

While Apple would like the updated CarPlay to take over more screens and a car’s instrument cluster, as well as features like the radio and air conditioning system, there are many reasons why automakers are resistant.  

The in-car demands

In-vehicle AI-powered voice assistants that incorporate generative AI present a much more challenging environment than what CarPlay has encountered.

Here are a few of them:

Connectivity: Vehicles often travel through areas with poor or no internet connectivity. AI systems need to function reliably offline or with intermittent connectivity.

Environmental Noise: The car environment can be noisy, requiring advanced noise cancellation and voice recognition technologies to function accurately.

Multi-User Scenarios: Vehicles often have multiple occupants. The AI needs to differentiate between users and manage permissions and personalization accordingly.

Deep Vehicle Integration: AI must interface seamlessly with various vehicle systems (e.g., climate control, navigation) requiring deep integration with the head unit and specialized knowledge of automotive systems.

Brand Consistency: For automakers, the AI needs to reflect brand values and offer customization options to maintain brand identity.

Real-Time Performance: Vehicle AI must process requests and provide responses in real-time, often faster than consumer-grade AI assistants.

Top priority for OEMs: control over their UI and customer data

“Manufacturers now fear that Apple will use the popularity of the iPhone as a Trojan horse to seize control of the relationship between motorist and car, and relegate manufacturers to an afterthought.”

— Speak EV, May, 2023

Internal feedback from automakers that have worked with big tech companies reinforces automakers’ belief that tech doesn’t put a priority on the customization needs of automakers. But it’s essential that each automaker’s voice UI be an extension of their branding and positioning. An Aston Martin, for example, whose brand is built on its racing heritage, will want a custom voice companion that engages differently than that of a high-end, luxury-focused brand.

“Not only are tech companies not attentive to these critical branding and UI needs of automakers,” said Dr. Pedram Faghfouri, Senior Director of Product, Automotive and IOT at SoundHound AI, “automakers are resistant to giving away direct control over their customer data. 

“This data allows automakers to build and maintain stronger relationships with their customers and gives automakers an edge over competitors, allowing them to better understand and serve their market,” adds Faghfouri.

And with deep concerns around data privacy, many automakers are loath to jeopardize their customer relationships because many buyers — particularly in Europe — don’t appreciate having their personal data shared with big tech companies, which are inevitably shared with other unknown third parties.

“Customer data allows automakers to build and maintain stronger relationships with their customers and gives automakers an edge over competitors, allowing them to better understand and serve their market.”

Dr. Pedram Faghfouri, Senior Director of Product, Automotive and IOT at SoundHound AI

We know the auto market

SoundHound has been on the frontline with automakers since 2016. Our voice assistants are currently in over 4.5 million cars worldwide, including in leading brands such as DS Automobiles, Hyundai, Kia, Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall.

In 2023, we were the first to launch an in-vehicle voice assistant integrated with generative AI, SoundHound Chat AI Automotive, and the first to go into full production with an automaker anywhere in the world. Today, we are in multiple brands across 18 countries.

SoundHound’s data shows a sixfold increase in usage – with a 50% rise in interaction frequency already reported by DS Automobiles – as well as a 5x decrease in unfulfilled requests, and a 5x increase in the consumer loyalty-based Net Promoter Score, indicating a growing demand for sophisticated, AI-powered voice assistants among drivers and manufacturers.

“Our data shows that SoundHound Chat AI Automotive with generative AI offers a sixfold increase in usage with a 50% rise in interaction frequency already reported by DS Automobiles. ”

Today, SoundHound AI continues to offer the best-in-class voice assistant with generative AI capabilities that’s widely available and in-use on the roads. 

SoundHound’s deep AI expertise means that SoundHound Chat AI Automotive can integrate with a wide range of large language models (LLMs). Our recent announcement of a partnership with Perplexity, for example, the conversational AI-powered answer engine, provides our voice assistants with direct access to Perplexity’s online LLM capabilities that will enable real-time, up-to-date responses to web-based queries, unlike static LLM responses. 

“We’ve also developed a proprietary new approach that enables SoundHound Chat AI Automotive to avoid the kind of misleading and unpredictable responses now associated with some LLMs,” said Faghfouri. “Known as ‘AI hallucinations,’ these incorrect answers can result from technology that relies exclusively on generative AI.”

Extensive expertise applied to the challenges of voice AI in cars

Here are a few of the unique capabilities that SoundHound brings to automakers:

• Deeper vehicle integration: SoundHound’s AI is designed specifically for in-car use and can control vehicle functions like opening the sunroof or accessing parking information, or it can answer almost any question a user asks about a car’s functionality, maintenance, or repair – all completely hands-free via natural speech. 
• Hybrid connectivity: Provides both cloud and local connectivity to deliver optimal results in the absence of cloud connectivity.  In March, 2024, SoundHound showcased SoundHound Chat AI for Automotive using a large language model (LLM) completely on the edge while running on the NVIDIA DRIVE platform, marking a new chapter for generative AI.
• Customization for automakers: SoundHound provides a white-labeled solution that allows car manufacturers to create branded, customized voice experiences tailored to their specific models and features.
• Technical know-how for handling audio and voice in a vibrating, constantly-shifting environment with advanced audio techniques including noise cancellation and beamforming. 
• Ability for automakers to “own the user experience” and the customer feedback loop
• Independent tech stack to build a customized UI experience that reflects the unique attributes of the automaker’s brand 
• Leading involvement in global industry forums, such as SoundHound’s Director of Technical Program Management, Dr. Sylvain Chevalier, who was a recent panelist at the  2024 Audio Engineering Society (AES) 5th International Conference on Automotive Audio in Gothenburg, Sweden. The panel’s topic, “Synergizing NVH, Sound, and Speech: Innovating Automotive Design,” explored the cutting-edge integration of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) control with advanced speech recognition in automotive design. 

A turning point

As discussed in this article, automakers are facing a critical turnpoint point as they seek to balance the allure of consumer-friendly AI advancements with the necessity of maintaining brand identity and control over the in-car experience. 

While Apple’s integration of ChatGPT and advanced voice AI into CarPlay represents a significant leap forward in consumer technology, SoundHound AI is a powerful player in the specialized realm of automotive AI.

SoundHound’s approach allows car manufacturers to harness the power of AI while retaining control over their user interface and valuable customer data. 

As the industry evolves, the choice between consumer-oriented tech giants and specialized automotive AI providers like SoundHound will likely shape the future of in-car experiences in the age of intelligent vehicles.

Explore SoundHound’s approach

Get in touch with one of our experts or book a demo to see Chat AI Automotive in action and explore how our AI-powered innovations can elevate your in-car experience.