XM to introduce in-car video service
XM has announced a new “advanced services” package that would provide in-car video, voice activation, weather alerts, parking finder and more. From the press release:
XM Satellite Radio, the nation’s leading satellite radio company, will unveil the XM Advanced Services vehicle, a concept car featuring in-car video, voice command, weather alerts, parking space locator, and other exciting new innovations next week at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The XM Advanced Services vehicle is a specially-equipped 2006 Lexus LX 470 to be displayed at CES January 5 - 8 in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s North Hall at the XM Satellite Radio booth (Booth #4606).
The XM Advanced Services vehicle will showcase in-car video with XM’s partner On2 Technologies (AMEX:ONT), as well as a vast array of other new technologies, all of which can be delivered directly to the automobile by XM’s network of satellites and ground repeaters, the same satellite delivery system that XM employs to broadcast its 160 channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, and talk radio.
…
In addition to in-car video, the XM Advanced Services vehicle will have the cutting-edge Voice Command system developed with VoiceBox® Technologies. The VoiceBox platform goes beyond typical voice recognition technologies and lets the driver use conversational speech to control the XM radio. For instance, the driver can ask to hear a certain kind of music, such as jazz, and VoiceBox will ask which of XM’s five jazz channels the driver would like to hear. The driver can reply and the XM radio changes channels automatically - without the driver’s hands ever leaving the steering wheel. Delivering an exceptional user experience, the technology is part of a new multi-year partnership between XM and VoiceBox to deliver a voice-enabled XM Radio platform to automakers and the aftermarket.
Hints of this service first began in July when XM acquired WCS in a much-scrutinized deal.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
[...] It’s seems like a pretty natural evolution for satellite radio to add satellite video to its programming. The process is already underway in the U.S. and is heading to Canada as well, as reported by GlobeandMail.com: XM Canada, one of two new satellite radio companies, told analysts yesterday that its U.S. affiliate is in the process of introducing video-equipped receivers that may eventually drive a significant portion of the industry’s revenue. [...]