“Perfect voice interaction”: Microsoft and TomTom are developing a conversational AI assistant for cars
TomTom has announced the creation of a “fully integrated conversational car assistant based on artificial intelligence” in cooperation with Microsoft, which should appear on infotainment platforms in the near future.
The company has made some bold statements about AI, saying that it will offer “perfect voice interaction” and allow users to communicate naturally to navigate, find stops along the route, control onboard systems, open windows, and almost anything else drivers do while driving.
The company, best known for its GPS platforms, collaborated with Microsoft to develop this AI assistant. The technology uses OpenAI’s large language models as well as Microsoft products such as Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Cognitive Services. Cosmos DB is a multi-model database, and Cognitive Services is a set of APIs for use in artificial intelligence applications,reports Engadget.
TomTom promises that the voice assistant can be integrated into a variety of interfaces offered by major automakers, stating that the car company will retain ownership of its brand. So it can start appearing in cars from different manufacturers. The company has not yet announced the final partnership with well-known vehicle manufacturers.
