Talking To Your Car

Are you lost or not sure if you have taken a wrong turn? Or have you found yourself in unfamiliar territories? Too embarrassed to frequently stop at the gas station to ask for directions? Well, fear not! Come October, Honda will be the first carmaker to include in some of their models, technology that enables drivers to converse with their cars about where to go and how to get there. It uses a voice-recognition and text-to-speech technology from IBM.
This technology can produce maps and “speak” turn-by-turn directions. In addition, drivers can make phone calls or adjust the air conditioning, all while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. What more can a driver ask for in a car, given this safe and elegant solution to giving your full attention to driving without having to worry about getting lost anymore?

Let’s Get Down To Business…
The success of Honda lies in the fact that they are able to empathise and place themselves in the shoes of their clients – drivers. The Honda vehicles are the first to integrate text-to-speech into a navigation system, according to analyst firm ABI Research. By eliminating the need for accessing a touch screen or keypad to look for a destination, Honda is allowing people to focus on driving. Honda recognises the fact that their clients, the drivers, need to concentrate on driving and that they do need help at times, perhaps in checking for directions or simply, opening a car window. They have thus cooperated with IBM with the latest technology and produced a very user-friendly car that will definitely attract customers as it makes driving a whole lot easier!
Thus, we do encourage entrepreneurs wannabes to put yourselves into the shoes of your clients and identify what they truly need and want, and produce your good(s) accordingly, while making it user-friendly of course. And if ever needed, you can cooperate with another company of a different sector to help in product development, just like what Honda and IBM did.
Related Ideas & Trends
Finally, a Car That Talks Back [Wired News]
You Too Can Talk to Your Car [InternetNews.com]
IBM Case Study [IBM]