Nuance Powers Latest TomTom Navigation Devices

Portable navigation device provider TomTom has selected speech solutions from Nuance Communications to power its TomTom GO family: the TomTom GO 520, TomTom GO 720 and the TomTom GO 920. 

With the Nuance-powered voice-activated input feature, drivers can simply say their destination address instead of having to type it out on the touch-screen keypad, making it easier and safer to enter a destination. To enter destinations by voice, drivers simply choose the menu option Navigate to spoken address. To start the route calculation the driver simply says OK when prompted.

This voice input function will be available ion TomTom GO models sold in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. 

"The GO range is TomTom’s first series of navigation devices that allows drivers to enter their destination verbally. Speech recognition improves drivers’ concentration in traffic: with Nuance speech technology, they can keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel," said Eric Pité, vice president of product management at TomTom.

A recent survey commissioned by Nuance confirmed strong demand for voice destination entry and other speech-enabled features for personal navigation systems.  Of the nearly 1,000 drivers across Germany, Japan, and the United States involved in the study, more than 75 percent  confirmed that they enter or change their destination while on the road. In addition, more than 70 percent of them believed that controlling navigation systems by voice increased safety and improved the overall user experience of the navigation system.

"As consumer demand rises for advanced technology in vehicles, Nuance speech solutions provide hands-free, eyes-free access to help make increasingly complex consumer electronics applications safer and easier to use," says Craig Peddie, vice president and general manager of embedded speech at Nuance. "Speech-enabled features can add significant value to end-users and allow drivers to combine on-road safety and personal convenience."