Ford Works With Nuance to Enhance SYNC

Ford has increased the voice-capabilities of their SYNC system by working with voice-technology experts, Nuance:

• With the introduction of MyFord Touch™ driver connect technology, Ford makes it easier to control in-car systems with fewer steps and more natural language; customers can now speak more than 10,000 first-level commands, up from only 100 in first-generation SYNC®
• Working with voice control leader Nuance, SYNC will recognize more direct voice commands such as “Call John Smith,” “Find ice cream” and “Add a phone,” allowing users to do more with fewer steps
• Innovative features boost recognition accuracy and provide “Samantha,” the voice of SYNC, with smoother, more natural speech patterns
• Consumer acceptance of voice control is increasing; the Harris Interactive® 2010 AutoTECHCAST survey found an 8 point year-over-year improvement, and industry analysts predict continued segment growth

At the heart of SYNC is the speech engine, and Ford is working with speech technology leader Nuance to create and integrate a vast library of possible driver requests. This library will enable the SYNC speech engine to listen for and respond to more voice commands directly, recognize different words that mean the same thing (aliases), and integrate a vast number of point-of-interest (POI) names and business types into its navigation system.

“With this latest generation of SYNC, users can control the system without having to learn nearly as many commands or navigate as many menus,” said Brigitte Richardson, Ford global voice control technology and speech systems lead engineer. “As we’ve gained processing power and learned more about how drivers use the system, we’ve been able to refine the interface. Customers can do more and say more from the top-level menu, helping them accomplish their tasks more quickly and efficiently.”

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Learn more about the capabilities of the SYNC system by visiting Lakewood Fordland.