[paulsinger]

So I've been trying to get the voice control in my M3 to understand my British accent.

If I say "Call Mum" it hears it as "Cool Mom" and does nothing!

If I say "Text Mum" it recognises the word Text but insists on converting Mum to Mom and since I don't have an entry Mom in my phone's address book, it gives up.

Do I have to learn "American" to say the word Call and change my phone book entry to Mom or is there any way to change the settings so it recognises British English?!

It's the same with most of the commands. It just doesn't understand me.

Google and Alexa do a much better job.

 

[dwl99]

What accent do you have?

 

[paulsinger]

London!

 

[dwl99]

Hmm, that doesn't hold out much hope for me when my car arrives - I have a Scottish accent!

 

[paulsinger]

Some of its attempts to understand are quite funny - until you realise that you will not be able to use voice control at all.

It's actually a serious safety issue because there are no knobs or switches so if the car doesn't understand voice commands, then you are forced to use the central screen which means taking your eyes off the road to do even the simplest of tasks.

 

[TomH]

Some of its attempts to understand are quite funny - until you realise that you will not be able to use voice control at all.

It's actually a serious safety issue because there are no knobs or switches so if the car doesn't understand voice commands, then you are forced to use the central screen which means taking your eyes off the road to do even the simplest of tasks.

Of course you don't allow the screen to distract you. You just pull over before you use it.
Isn't technology wonderful?

 

[paulsinger]

Of course you don't allow the screen to distract you. You just pull over before you use it.
Isn't technology wonderful?

Of course, you'd pull over if you can, but what if you are on a motorway and want to call someone? Or what if you need to to enter a navigation address whilst on a motorway?

The voice control facility is there - it just doesn't work in the UK!

 

[Phil W]

I had to rename my Mum’s contact as ‘Mother’ as I had the same issue. I just sound posh now...

 

[paulsinger]

How do you say "Call" without sounding like "Cool"? My wife got it to work by speaking with a US accent saying it so it sounded like "Carl..." - but I would hardly describe her as posh!

I've started to rename all my contacts.

My sister is called Jo but when I say that, the car types Joe and as I don't have a Joe entry, it fails (again).

My daughter is called Aimee but has now been renamed Amy.

You get the idea!

What a pain in the arse or should I say ASS?!

 

[Smokey]

Hmm, that doesn't hold out much hope for me when my car arrives - I have a Scottish accent!

Eleven!

 

[TomH]

Of course, you'd pull over if you can, but what if you are on a motorway and want to call someone? Or what if you need to to enter a navigation address whilst on a motorway?

The voice control facility is there - it just doesn't work in the UK!

So you are "forced" to drive without due care and attention. That's progress?

 

[paulsinger]

So you are "forced" to drive without due care and attention. That's progress?

Of course, I would never drive without due care and attention! I'm actually an Advanced Driver.

The point I am making is that when you pay £50k for a car with "voice control", you would expect it to work in your country. My BMW managed it and so did my Leaf. Google and Amazon do it.

Tesla just needs to get theirs to work.

 

[motco]

My 12 year old Jaguar X-Type's 'Jaguar Voice' system understands my Home Counties speech perfectly and replies in a very refined voice! What would you expect from Tesla with its founder being called Elon? I suppose my Good Lady's Nissan Leaf needs commands in 'Pitmatic'! (Google is your pal)

 

[High & Dry]

I'm presently driving around in a late M/Y 2020 Audi A4 (on loan courtesy of Hyundai U.K), which I have come to know as "Helga"; her inability both to pronounce (and understand my clearly spoken requests) in English, is surprisingly challenged for such a very swish car.
I note that Ioniq's English female voice is considerably more natural in both timbre and prosody, than is the Audi.
Deborah.

 

[Geoff_S]

So, what sort of things do people say to their car?

 

[paulsinger]

So, what sort of things do people say to their car?

Just lately, I've been saying quite a few words beginning with F!

 

[andrew*debbie]

Some of its attempts to understand are quite funny

As an American expat, My attempts with LEAF were hopeless. Cancel route. Cahncel Raught. Caahhhncle Raaaahhhht.

 

[High & Dry]

So, what sort of things do people say to their car?

Navigation destinations most typically; though these days, I prefer to use the John Denver routes selection.....

Take me home.....
Country roads.

 

[TomH]

Of course, I would never drive without due care and attention! I'm actually an Advanced Driver.

The point I am making is that when you pay £50k for a car with "voice control", you would expect it to work in your country. My BMW managed it and so did my Leaf. Google and Amazon do it.

Tesla just needs to get theirs to work.

When I became an IAM member in 1975, drivers were expected to compensate for the various shortcomings of their cars.
So, now that the cars' handling is virtually fool proof, you will just have to adopt an American accent to work some of the auxiliary systems if you chose a Tesla!

I do agree that you expect perfection if you pay a huge price. Tesla, meanwhile, prioritise the new "world leading" ideas over getting more mundane stuff to work properly.

 

[TomH]

Duplicate.