New in-car app means motorists will tell car makers what they really think.
Product manufacturers are constantly looking to improve their products and seek consumer feedback. So nothing could be better than real-time feedback from motorists as soon as they think and say it - right?
Saying what you think Image: Elektrobit |
Well, automakers may want to be careful what they wish for because new technology, developed by Silicon Valley-based Elektrobit, will allow car owners to do just that. Called EB Velima, the tech takes the Connected Car concept to a whole new level by allowing drivers to record up to 60 seconds' worth of comment (good or bad) while they are at the wheel.
Ergonomics not quite right, notchy gearbox, a need for firmer seat squabs? The feedback is captured by the Velima software using the car's hands-free system. It then converts this to a .wav file, uploads it to the Elektrobit server and bombards the voice clip with algorithms to categorise the feeback and send it to the manufacturer.
The car maker is alerted to the comments and can review them via a cloud-based dashboard. The information is also agreggated with other pieces of voice feedback to provide broader data on trends of product comments. There is even the capability to integrate with manufacturer CRM systems.