From city tours to food delivery, how AI can change car travel

“Welcome Stella,” a female voice tells actor Antonio Banderas as he enters a new black Mercedes in the company’s latest advert. 

As Banderas is driving his daughter (Stella)’s car, the vehicle’s interface orders a matcha latte for him at her favourite cafe, brings him to a nail salon, and then to a club. 

The new advert is for E-class, a car that Mercedes says will provide a more personalised experience.

Auto industry experts say this type of experience, one that makes the most of a commuter’s time, represents the future of car travel in Europe.

What does a personalised driving experience look like?

Holger Beilstein, Head of Business Field UX Assets at German manufacturing company Continental, said their software system collects information from onboard sensors about the driver and passengers, including basic personal data and their moods, to personalise the recommendations the car makes on each journey. 

“We are looking for convenience and for a nice journey … any way to make your life easier and more pleasant,” Beilstein said.

He added that a driver’s journey could start in the morning with a daily brief of content personalised to you and what you like to consume. 

The driver then goes to the city, and the car could recommend points of interest or a city tour if it’s a new place. 

Along the way, the car could request that you stop to charge it, and while doing so, guide you to a charging station where you can get food delivered while you wait.

Cars will have cabin sensing to recognise whether you are alone in the car or with family, Beilstein said. 

Microphone detection will also be able to recognise drivers and passengers based on their voices and in what seat they are in, he continued. 

A personalised car will also be able to recommend the best audio content, like podcasts, for those in the car based on their preferences, said Jérôme Doncieux, founder and CEO of software company ETX Majelan. 

When driving to and from work, drivers will get to reclaim their average 80-minute commute by deciding whether to be productive or relax, according to Doncieux. 

This presents great opportunities and a possible “billion dollar” industry for advertisers, Doncieux continued, who so far have not capitalised on that time lost to commuting. 

‘An audio-first approach’

To make this happen, automakers are investing their time and money into improving voice control features on cars, according to Doncieux. 

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Customers are currently struggling with in-car systems while driving, according to Alexandra Montaron, the head of strategy with ETX Majelan. 

Montaron said their internal studies show that only 10 per cent of in-car apps are actually being used, so navigating in-car platforms is like “having a large library of books”. 

“By 2030, your car just gets you,” Montaron said. “The system doesn’t wait for you to ask, it anticipates your needs and offers you suggestions based on your habits”. 

In English and French, Paris’ top science and engineering Polytechnique school is working with ETX Majelan to get high-quality voices to train their audio AIs and produce less synthetic and more emotional voices, according to professor Eric Moulines. 

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“The way to go is clear, now you have to scale the solution,” Moulines said.