SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice artificial intelligence, has announced the introduction of new customization tools for its SoundHound Chat AI voice assistant. These innovative features aim to transform how automotive brands engage with their customers inside the vehicle and are currently being piloted with select OEM partners.
Enhanced Customization for OEMs
The SoundHound Chat AI voice assistant integrates generative AI capabilities with car controls and real-time information such as flight times, navigation, and weather. Now, OEMs can enhance this core functionality with tailored customizations that align with their brand identity and provide a personalized experience for drivers.
This new level of customization is designed to offer a more engaging and informative in-car experience, enabling drivers to explore vehicle features and functionalities with greater ease and effectiveness.
Brand ID: A New Way to Shape Customer Interactions
The newly introduced Brand ID tool allows automotive partners to define their brand’s voice assistant interactions, providing a unique and consistent brand experience. Key features include:
- Custom Brand Attributes and Safety: Automakers can customize responses to reflect their brand image and address sensitive topics with appropriate care.
- Time-Limited Changes: OEMs can easily implement updates for seasonal promotions or specific campaigns.
- Global Language and Variant Support: Automakers can create responses in one language and deploy them across all supported languages, adapting to various question formats.
Onboarding and Education: Guiding Users to Maximize Voice Assistant Use
SoundHound Chat AI’s Onboarding and Education feature offers automakers the ability to seamlessly integrate personalized branding and educate users on their in-vehicle voice assistant’s functionalities. This includes:
- Onboarding Hints: Engage users with helpful hints and tips to familiarize them with the voice assistant.
- Customizable Greetings: Tailor greetings and instructions to reflect the brand’s identity.
- Guidance on Manual Access: Provide easy access to instructional content to help users understand their vehicle’s capabilities.
A recent SoundHound study, “How Generative AI Will Help Automakers Build Great In-Car Experiences,” revealed that 87% of regular drivers use their voice assistant, with 50% using it weekly and 37% using it daily. However, many drivers are not fully utilizing these capabilities. The Onboarding and Education tool aims to create a more immersive, voice-driven experience, elevating the assistant from basic vehicle controls to a central element of the in-car experience.
Enhancing User Experience with Innovative AI Solutions
As the automotive industry evolves, SoundHound Chat AI’s new customization tools keep the focus on the end user, enhancing the overall in-vehicle experience. The latest features underscore SoundHound’s commitment to improving the user journey and maximizing the value of voice assistants for OEMs.
Customization services, including future enhancements in SoundHound’s product roadmap, will be available to automakers through a SaaS model. This allows partners to continually adapt their AI solutions to align with changing brand and customer needs.
Strengthening Brand Perception Through Tailored Voice Assistants
“SoundHound Chat AI has evolved beyond a general in-car experience by offering a tailored voice assistant that allows automakers to strengthen the perception of their brand,” said Michael Zagorsek, COO of SoundHound AI. “Furthermore, the new tools we’re launching today enable OEMs to carefully guide and educate their customers on the power of their customized in-vehicle voice assistant, helping increase adoption and repeat usage.”
Expansion of SoundHound Chat AI in the Automotive Industry
SoundHound Chat AI has recently been launched in various automotive brands, including Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Peugeot, Opel, Vauxhall, and DS Automobiles. In March 2024, Stellantis’ DS Automobiles became the first automaker globally to integrate the latest generative AI technology through SoundHound Chat AI in full production.