The future is now — talking to cars a reality (though not in Australia)

More than 33 years after the popular American TV show Knight Rider showed David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff talking to his car KITT, Volvo and Microsoft are launching a wearable-enabled voice control system.

Volvo owners will be able to talk to their car via their Microsoft Band 2, allowing them to instruct their 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 is currently limited to markets where Volvo on Call is available, which at this stage does not include Australia.

In November 2015, Volvo and Microsoft announced their high-profile collaboration with the first automotive application of HoloLens technology. HoloLens is the world’s first fully untethered holographic computer, which could be used in future to redefine how customers first encounter, explore and even buy cars. Now the two companies are delivering remote voice control for Volvo cars via the Microsoft Band 2 as another proof-point in their ambition to jointly develop next-generation automotive technologies.

“Volvo is intent on making the car experience as easy and convenient as possible by utilising the latest technology in the most relevant and inspiring ways. With voice control we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible with digital assistant functionalities,” Volvo Car Group VP Electrics/Electronics & E-Propulsion Thomas Mueller said.

In recent times, Volvo Cars has begun to focus closely on innovations outside the traditional automotive arena, keen on opening up potential partnerships and new business models.

“When innovating we are not interested in technology for the sake of technology. If a technology does not make a customer’s life easier, better, safer or more fun, we don’t use it. Let’s face it — who hasn’t dreamed of talking to their car via a wrist-worn wearable?” Volvo Car Group Senior Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer Klas Bendrik said.

“Our ongoing partnership with Volvo continues to bring groundbreaking technology to enhance the automotive experience,” Microsoft Executive Vice President of Business Development Peggy Johnson said. “Together with Volvo, we’re just beginning to understand the potential that technology has to improve driver safety and productivity.”

The new possibility to connect to a Volvo with voice control through Microsoft Band 2 will be available for customers in Volvo on Call enabled markets in (Northern Hemisphere) spring 2016. No news yet as to when Australia will have access to the technology.

Image credit: © iStockphoto.com/Andrey Prokhorov