Nuance partners with Chinese auto platform to deliver hybrid speech recognition

Internet vehicle platform Banma has partnered with Nuance Communications to bring conversational AI-powered biometric speech recognition to its Banma MARS V3.0 infotainment platform for connected cars.

The new Banma MARS V3.0 leverages Nuance’s automotive platform to offer support for multiple simultaneous requests, voice powered control of navigation, air conditioning, lighting, and music, and embedded access to several ecosystem services, according to the announcement. Nuance combines embedded and cloud content and services in a hybrid approach, to provide fast, seamless performance and maintain key functions in areas of low connectivity. Ongoing improvements can be made to the system with over-the-air updates.

Sales of its biometric solutions for the medical automotive, and enterprise markets resulted in Q2 2019 revenues at the high end of expectations for Nuance.

“Banma MARS V3.0 represents the latest step in our efforts to make the internet-connected car the standard across China,” comments Banma Technologies CEO Hao Fei. “A seamless user experience is at the forefront of this goal, which is why the deeply collaborative process we have embarked upon with Nuance is so important. Together, we can design an in-car voice-user interface experience that is unparalleled, and Banma MARS V3.0 is just the beginning.”

Banma is a joint venture between SAIC Motor Corp, one of the leading car manufacturers in China, and Alibaba Group.

“We’re excited about our growing relationship with Banma and our growth together to bring a unique user experience to drivers in China,” says Stefan Ortmanns, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Automotive. “Banma MARS V3.0 marks not just deep cooperation on a voice-powered interface for the car, but a mutual commitment to together building the future of the in-car assistant, with enhanced performance and new features and content that differentiate these cars from the competition.”

The market for biometric driver identification alone is expected to grow by 25 percent this year after generating $10 billion last year.

Article Topics

artificial intelligence  |  automotive biometrics  |  biometrics  |  Nuance Communications  |  speech recognition