Strategy Analytics Finds Use of In-Car Voice Control Drops

Consumer satisfaction with in-car speech recognition systems has fallen sharply, particularly among middle age groups in the US, according to a recent report by Strategy Analytics.

A recent survey from the In-Vehicle UX (IVX) group at Strategy Analytics assessed consumer use of, and satisfaction with, in-car speech recognition systems and touchscreens. It found that satisfaction with in-car touchscreens and voice control systems remains strong among frequent users but has declined across all demographics. And while daily usage of in-car voice control has held steady in Europe, it has declined in the United States and China, especially among certain age groups.

With the expansion of mobile and home-based systems that feature speech recognition, "consumers now have increased expectations for the functionality of such systems. Even though the automotive industry is hamstrung by a lengthy development and production cycle, consumers are becoming less patient with the gap in performance between automotive electronics and other consumer electronics," said Derek Viita, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics and report author, in a statement.

"One critical reason behind the faster improvement of other voice control systems is the software's ability to be updated over the air. To keep up with this trend, in-car systems must have the same capability," added Chris Schreiner, director of IVX at Strategy Analytics, in a statement.

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