A Test: Use only Voice Recognition to Control a Car

Aug 27 2014

This week I conduct an experiment:

Automakers are touting, “control the car using just Voice Recognition, so it’s hands on always!”

So for 1 week, try to drive without removing my hands from the steering wheel, ever.

Rely solely on the wheel’s buttons to operate the cabin controls, and infotainment system.

(Conclusion: can’t)

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Regardless of how you’re operating the infotainment system, your focus and attention are still taken elsewhere.

Test conducted in a 2015 Chrysler 200.

About pairing my phone to a car for the 1st time – here

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Back to ‘Keri on Driving’ – Index

A Clever Infotainment System Design

Jun 23 2013

The screen, the centre stack, all designed to be operated while wearing work gloves.

It’s Ford’s 47th year of having the best-selling truck

I know :O Ford.ca F-series

Meet F-150 Chief Engineer Jackie DiMarco, who is in charge of all the trucks.

I learned how to tow stuff with a F250, here’s a video about that.

It charges 3 iPhones no problem.

The * is my phone; I never pair my phone to any car.

This is from when I travelled to Alberta with Ford.

The Screens are Getting Smarter

Jun 23 2013

It’s neat eh, the 3D.

(Skydome forever, never the R Centre)

Two cameras mounted on the front bumper.

Acura’s all-new MDX has 6 cameras, which then are stitched together, to provide a real-time 360º of the car.

These photos were taken in two 2014 luxury SUVs.

Give it a couple years, and they’ll be available in an average sub-compact.

A Clever Infotainment System

Mar 12 2013

GM just released a new infotainment system, introducing MyLink.

Usually I’m like “infotainment systems, who cares”, but this one is different.

Instead of installing a computer into the car, the car uses the computer we all carry around constantly – cel phone. Right?!

The core of the computing is done on your phone. Basically you’re looking at here a screen and a USB connection. That greatly reduces the amount of electronics in the car, plus price. An average infotainment system is about $1,500, instead, GM’s BringGo map app is $50.

The key is the software that make your car talk to your phone.

Another neat fact, GM worked with Apple on this software; when was the last time you heard about Apple collaborating. Change your calendar, text, music, all using Apple’s Siri.

The app is available for both iPhone and Android.