Voice activated controls

Just noticed an ad for the 2006 European Ford Fiesta which has some
voice-activated controls.

Examples listed are Air Conditioning - ON, CD track - Two.

Do we really need this technology on Toyota cars? I foresee all types
of disadvantages here.... eg backseat drivers..

David

"David J" <david (AT) btelecom (DOT) invalid> wrote

Just noticed an ad for the 2006 European Ford Fiesta which has some
voice-activated controls.

Examples listed are Air Conditioning - ON, CD track - Two.

Do we really need this technology on Toyota cars? I foresee all types
of disadvantages here.... eg backseat drivers..

David

I wish Fords would spend time making decent cars rather than useless
gimmicks to sell rubbish ones.

Hachiroku, 11/28/2005,9:22:36 PM, wrote:

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 00:29:07 +0000, David J wrote:

Just noticed an ad for the 2006 European Ford Fiesta which has some
voice-activated controls.

Examples listed are Air Conditioning - ON, CD track - Two.

Do we really need this technology on Toyota cars? I foresee all
types of disadvantages here.... eg backseat drivers..

David


Back in the Good Old Days the Crown had three radio controls. On was
located, obviously, on the radio.

The other was located on the floor under the driver's left foot,
where the dimmer would be on an American car.

But the best one (or worst, depending on where you sat in the car)
was in the middle of the back of the front seat. It wasn't visible,
but you could find it handily.

What it did was, when pressed, would cause a motor to move the tuner
all the way to one end of the dial, and then it would go back in the
opposite direction. Talk about Radio Wars.

The one I saw was on a '73.

That reminds me of a golf trip I took with a couple of buddies in a
Ford Explorer a few years ago. On the way back I drove, another guy
was the passenger and the owner of the Ford sat in the back. My
co-pilot started playing with the radio, looking for a radio station to
listen to. Everytime he settled on one and sat back, the radio would
change stations. He kept fixing it over and over, each time muttering
more obcenities at the radio for not staying put. Finally we heard the
guy in the back giggling as he was messing with the remote control
while the front passenger was beginning to pound the dashboard. I
laughed so hard that I nearly lost control and had to pull over. The
look on my co-pilot's face was priceless!

--
No matter what happens someone will find a way to take it too seriously.

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 23:20:14 -0000, "The One"
<Mike_Crowe (AT) btinternet (DOT) co.uk> wrote:

"David J" <david (AT) btelecom (DOT) invalid> wrote in message
news:fp7no1h47e8ur3que9aogrujvk5dukqdl9 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com...
Just noticed an ad for the 2006 European Ford Fiesta which has some
voice-activated controls.

Examples listed are Air Conditioning - ON, CD track - Two.

Do we really need this technology on Toyota cars? I foresee all types
of disadvantages here.... eg backseat drivers..

David

I wish Fords would spend time making decent cars rather than useless
gimmicks to sell rubbish ones.

Oops..

I see that a voice-actuated DVD navigation system is already available
as an option on US models of the Toyota Avalon XLS.

Anyone had experience of using this gizmo?

David

In article <2cgro19eogdd1s4gvum4dc8e9kb2udn6au (AT) 4ax (DOT) com>,
david (AT) btelecom (DOT) invalid says...

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 23:20:14 -0000, "The One"
Mike_Crowe (AT) btinternet (DOT) co.uk> wrote:


"David J" <david (AT) btelecom (DOT) invalid> wrote in message
news:fp7no1h47e8ur3que9aogrujvk5dukqdl9 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com...
Just noticed an ad for the 2006 European Ford Fiesta which has some
voice-activated controls.

Examples listed are Air Conditioning - ON, CD track - Two.

Do we really need this technology on Toyota cars? I foresee all types
of disadvantages here.... eg backseat drivers..

David

I wish Fords would spend time making decent cars rather than useless
gimmicks to sell rubbish ones.


Oops..

I see that a voice-actuated DVD navigation system is already available
as an option on US models of the Toyota Avalon XLS.

Anyone had experience of using this gizmo?

David


Jeremy Clarkson made a big thing about how all the voice operated toys

on his Merc SL55 were useless.
My boss has just bought a used S500. It has voice toys. He hasn't found
out how to reprogram/train it yet.
He asks for a CD, it starts the Aircon (in winter).
He asks for a radio station, it tries to iron his trousers (just
kidding).
I don't think it understands his very soft and very normal standard
english accent.

--
Carl Robson
Car PC Build starts again. http://smallr.com/rz
Homepage: http://www.bouncing-czechs.com