Nuance and BYD Unveil Voice-Enabled In-Car Systems in China

Nuance Communications' automotive voice technologies will power a new line of BYD Auto cars in China branded Si-Rui.

The voice-enabled in-car applications for BYD’s Si-Rui sedan will include command and control for the entertainment and navigation systems.

The two companies cited IHS Global Insight data that shows Chinese consumers are increasingly demanding sophisticated in-car infotainment features. Today, more than 95 percent of new vehicles are equipped with audio systems, and the adoption of navigation systems is expected to grow up to 25 percent through 2017.

"By leveraging Nuance's advanced voice technology for our next-generation infotainment systems, we will be able to bring the broad consumer market in China intuitive conversational experiences powered by voice," said Ruzhong Luo, chief engineer at BYD Auto, in a statement.