A Talking Car?

It’s unlikely to be the most entertaining conversation you’ve ever had. But talking to your car – and having it answer straight back, could soon become as commonplace as pressing a button or consulting a map.

A system that promises to be the world’s most advanced in-car voice communication will arrive in Britain next year. It has echoes of KIT, the car made famous by David Hasselhof’s 1980s TV series.

 The Ford’s sync system, which understands 10,000 commands in 19 languages, will be available on Focus models. Far from being confined to exclusive, top-of-the-range models, it will be available in one of the country’s biggest-selling cars, the Ford Focus.

In all, Ford says its voice-operated technology will be able to master 10,000 commands in 19 languages, allowing motorists to control audio, telephone and satnav systems as well as accessing information about the surrounding area.

But while the company claims it will be able to cope with Geordie and other regional accents, critics are asking whether the sheer range of different ways in which we speak will defeat it – or whether the extra distraction of trying to master it will lead to more accidents.The new, advanced version was announced at a technology show in Germany and will be available on the next generation of Ford Focus next year at a price of around £350.

While some luxury cars, such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, have basic voice command systems already, Ford’s claims Sync – developed in partnership with Microsoft – is far more sophisticated than anything currently available. With ever-growing connections between Internet and satnav technology providing a mass of information about a driver’s current location and nearby services, proponents say a voice-controlled system is the safest and least-distracting solution to accessing it.

For example, when the car is low on petrol, it will be able to tell the driver where the nearest petrol station is, and it can also give directions to local toilets or restaurants. It can also control the music system, understanding voice instructions to choose a new track on the built-in MP3 player – Ford claims that doing so manually can distract a driver for 25 seconds, or half-a-mile on a motorway.

The satnav system will also be able to cope with being given the entire address verbally, rather than having each line inputted manually, while the car can be instructed to change the interior temperature or read out an incoming text message.

If the motorist fails to give a command when prompted, the voice in the car gives an electronic sigh and responds: ‘Asking “What can I say?” will always bring up a menu of choices. ‘In the event of an accident, the system can identify exactly where in Britain or Europe it has happened and automatically call a local emergency number in the local language. ‘Drivers also need to be aware that making or receiving phone calls or texting, even if they are not using a hand-held phone, still affects their driving and they could still be prosecuted for not being in proper control of the vehicle,’ he added.

You will no longer be alone, while driving long distances‼