Filed under: LA Auto Show, Technology, Jaguar, Land Rover, Infotainment, Smartphone


Jaguar Land Rover's all-new InControl system is set to get a big bump as the British company will add a new service called JustDrive, which expands on the smartphone-focused infotainment system by adding a singular voice controller for a wide array of the system's currently available apps.

"Today, we are advancing our InControl system a stage further and to the forefront of the industry with the launch of justDrive. This moves the driver from the task-oriented, app-specific touch-based use of individual apps, to full control of all aggregated app content through plain natural speech or a common touch interface," Jaguar Land Rover research and development boss Dr. Wolfgang Epple said.

Developed by Silicon Valley-based CloudCar, the free app joins and will allow hands-free control of apps like Spotify, Twitter, Yelp, Pandora, Stitcher and roughly a dozen others, simply by connecting a user's smartphone via USB. While currently limited to Apple iOS users (iOS8, to be specific), JustDrive will be made available to Android customers in 2015.

Once that's sorted, a huge array of smartphone-using JLR drivers will be able to take advantage of what the company calls "an advanced plain speech recognition package" which will allegedly deliver on the long-promised idea of natural communication between driver and car, rather than the stilted dialogue that comes with "simple syntax command."

"While our aim is to significantly enhance the driving experience through unprecedented levels of connectivity, we also want to reduce driver distraction. So we have worked closely with the CloudCar team to ensure justDrive is 'right for driving'," Dr. Epple said. "Using speech as a key enabler, together with justDrive's simple and clean user interface, means we only show essential information to help create a safe, non-distracting driving environment."

It sounds like a pretty stellar system, and one we're eagerly looking forward to sampling. Until then, scroll down for the official press release on the new app from CloudCar and Jaguar Land Rover.Continue reading Jaguar Land Rover details JustDrive connectivity suite

Jaguar Land Rover details JustDrive connectivity suite originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Email this | Comments

More...