A car without any buttons, where your voice becomes the only control interface. This futuristic vision is Rivian’s new workhorse.
It’s a very present debate in recent years, and Rivian is causing a sensation with a declaration which does not fail to revive all this: physical buttons would be an “anomaly” to be corrected. Wassym Bensaid, software manager for the brand, goes even further by describing these tactile interfaces as “ bug, not a feature ” on TechCrunch.
Rivian’s vision is clear: to replace all physical interaction with voice commands driven by artificial intelligence. An ambition that raises as many hopes as questions. Because if the idea seems attractive on paper – who has never dreamed of driving their car like in a science fiction film? — The technical reality still poses many challenges.
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AI to replace physical buttons
Rivian teams are already working hard on prototypes equipped with new generation voice assistants. The objective? Allow drivers to access all the features of their vehicle by voice, even the most complex. No more endless submenus, a simple “ I’m hungry » should be enough for the AI to understand the context and suggest suitable restaurants and routes.
But this vision faces several significant obstacles. As Wassym Bensaid himself recognizes, current voice assistants still suffer from many limitations. Latency, hallucinations, approximate understanding of the context… so many technical challenges that remain to be overcome before considering a total abandonment of physical interfaces.
If the intention is laudable – to simplify the man-machine interface – it raises essential questions in terms of safety and ergonomics. A physical button provides immediate tactile feedback, requires no processing time, and works even if the computer system crashes. This explains why many manufacturers and security experts remain attached to these traditional interfaces.
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Furthermore, the multiplication of functionalities in our modern cars poses a real organizational challenge. Even with an advanced voice interface, how can you ensure quick and intuitive access to all commands? Does Rivian’s solution – relying everything on AI – really make sense?
Let us recall in passing that Volkswagen has invested massively in Rivian to benefit from its experience and technologies in infotainment.
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