GM 2001 Concepts

Visteon Voice' system is key to Quiet Servant concept

The most striking thing about the interior of the 2001 Buick Bengal concept car is the absence of any controls or gauges. This car will respond to verbal instructions from the driver, thanks to a partnership between Visteon Corporation and General Motors which demonstrates technology that will blend safety, personalization, comfort and convenience.

"The Visteon Voice technology behind Buick’s Quiet Servant allows drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road while controlling virtually anything on the interior or exterior of the car with just their voice," said Michael Johnston, Visteon president and chief operating officer. 

Visteon Voice is capable of recognizing six languages and regional accents while ignoring surrounding sounds in the automobile, even in a convertible like the Bengal. The driver can issue more than 118 commands to the car, operating the headlights, wipers, heating system, sound system, convertible top, on-board navigation, seat adjustments and cruise control.

The Bengal’s Quiet Servant will confirm each choice with a verbal reply in either a  female or male voice. 

The voice control system eliminates the need for controls and displays traditionally found on an instrument panel. In turn, the Bengal’s dashboard has become a large flat-panel speaker from NXT, with superior sound reproduction in an unobtrusive package.