SK Telecom has announced the launch of a new in-car virtual assistant combining its T Map mobile navigation app with its NUGU artificial intelligence platform.
The T Map x NUGU AI-based navigation service enables drivers to use their voice to activate existing navigation and new AI-based services.
The platform is designed to allow drivers to easily set and change destinations without taking their eyes off the road of their hands off the year. Users can also ask the voice assistant to complete tasks such as finding the closest or cheapest gas station or the nearest parking lot.
Users will also be able to request real-time traffic information and to end the service or close the app using voice commands. The virtual assistant then listens for one of two wake words.
By November, SK Telecom also plans to add more functionality including using voice commands to take a call or send a busy message.
T Map is the main mobile navigation service in Korea with an estimated 10.1 million active users – a 68% market share. It is available to SK Telecom mobile customers free of charge.
Separately, Ericsson has entered a partnership with Zenuity, an automotive software development joint venture between Autoliv and Volvo Car Corporation, to develop an end-to-end platform for self-driving cars.
The platform will cover connected safety, advanced driver assistance support and autonomous driving software and functions, Ericsson said.
During the first phase of the collaboration, the companies plan to jointly develop the Zenuity Connected Cloud using the Ericsson IoT Accelerator.
This offering will consist of in-vehicle software integrated with vehicle functions, onboard sensors and cloud support functions that will provide external data from other vehicles and cloud infrastructure.
“Zenuity was formed to develop the software and solutions the industry requires to create a truly global connected automotive ecosystem,” Zenuity CEO Dennis Nobelius said.
“With a strong focus on increasing safety through ADAS and AS software and functions, our unique expertise in ADAS and autonomous technologies combined with Ericsson’s technology leadership in complex connectivity solutions is a win-win for the entire automotive industry.”