This appeared in Friday, March 22, 2002

ejTalk Talk WITH the Car

DETROIT, MI -- Wouldn’t it be nice if your car could actually tell you what it needs – like an oil change, or more windshield wiper fluid? No more searching the warning lights or trying to interpret an "engine warning" code. Instead, when you turn on the ignition, you can talk with your car.

"You’re getting low on gas," it says.

"How much do I have left?" you ask.

"About 50 miles worth," it replies. "Would you like me to locate a gas station?"

You can now experience a useful conversation with your car. This is not just for car buffs. It is a demonstration of how an intelligent car can provide you with helpful, possibly life-saving, information automatically. Your car is already equipped with computers and sensors to monitor everything from temperature to tire pressure. Why not communicate this information verbally?

Talking WITH the Car is the first feature of ejTalk’s new TTS Workbench. We are using the workbench to demonstrate the ways a conversational agent can be employed in different situations and businesses.

In our Talking WITH the Car demonstration, we’ve imagined three types of alerts --

The simplest alert gives you information when you first start your car. If you haven’t quite closed your car door, or when you are getting low on fuel, your car will tell you. If everything is fine, you won’t be bothered, unless you ask.

A service alert reminds you when some type of service is due on your car such as when it’s time for an oil change, or when you need to rotate your tires.

Finally, the mechanical problem alert immediately notifies you when a sensor detects a problem with your car’s mechanical operation. In the case of an under-inflated tire, this notification can prompt you to drive more slowly if you’re on the highway, and immediately locate a service station where you can have the problem corrected.

To reduce noise and chatter from your car, the driving alert and mechanical problems alert were designed to activate whenever a situation is detected. The service alert activates on a schedule such as three months or 3000 miles after your last oil change.

On-board computers, sensors and warning lights provide you with useful indications, if you look for them. But that’s old technology. A conversational agent in your car gives you convenience and enhanced safety because you don’t need to find and diagnose problems. You won’t need to search for the oil change sticker. You don’t need to consult your operator’s manual for tire pressure information. No buttons to push, no menu to scroll through, no lights to check, no booklet to find. You have enough to do.

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