2010 Audi A8 will boast handwriting recognition technology

Audi handwriting recognition technology - 900

Handwriting-recognition feature for navigation system will allow drivers to simply write out a destination name by hand

By Alex Ricciuti
August 13, 2009 4:23 PM
Filed Under: Audi, German, Technology

Reports have surfaced that the next-generation Audi A8's satellite navigation system will feature handwriting-recognition software so that drivers can enter destinations by hand rather than writing them out by dialing through the system.

The point of the new technology is to do away with cumbersome keypads and eliminating the need to use dials to select letters to spell out destination names. This way, the driver simply writes the destination by hand and the software recognizes it instantly.

Current A8 models also feature fingerprint recognition technology, so that a driver can return all of the car's settings, including seat adjustment, to their personalized preferences.

The new Audi A8 is expected to debut sometime later this year and go on sale in 2010.

But hey, isn't the whole point of a computer that you don't have to write things out by hand, olden times-style?

And how come voice-recognition hasn't worked out?

Technology: supposed to make things simpler - only makes them more complicated.

Source: autocar.co.uk and autoexpress.co.uk

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Tags: new Audi A8, handwriting-recognition technology

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Comments

car-o-bar

August 13, 2009 4:27 PM

why can't there be a pull out from the dash keyboard that can be used to enter the address in the navigation. Or have a laser virtual keyboard projected on the dash to enter the address.

Narco

August 13, 2009 4:45 PM

Those are good ideas. I think as the tech gets perfected we will see easier versions of destination input. I'm actually at a loss as to how to make it easier since new ideas also come with a different set of challenges. I am surprised that voice recognition hasn't become the end all be all. I was expecting it to be much more advanced now than it really is.

Fishes,

Narco.

August 14, 2009 10:46 AM

The Problem with voice recognitionis that all around the world not everyone has the same language, and even though there are some aftermarket navi systems that understand spoken words they don't understand Swiss-german and will never do so. Also there are many different dialects of a language and therefore some people will have trouble being understood.

howe2002

August 15, 2009 12:02 AM

Why don't they have a suction cup attached to the headrest that will sense the electrodes in your brain to figure out what you're thinking? Or you could just pull over and check your Rand McNally.

CarLife

August 13, 2009 4:37 PM

I can imagine people frustrated over loosing the stylus or learning to write with the system.

afterace2

August 13, 2009 5:15 PM

if it's going to need the stylus, than thank u very much, i'll use the nav wheel instead.

moodyaaa

August 13, 2009 4:51 PM

i don't c touch screen in cars is a good idea. it always get dirty, and sometimes u press 3 to 4 times to click a button. thats y we don't see them in BMWs

MTC

August 13, 2009 5:43 PM

writing while driving? not a good idea I suppose.

What's wrong with voice recognition anyway? even a Focus RS got one these days

Bristol411S3

August 13, 2009 6:27 PM

This won't work for Right Hand Drive markets. How many drivers are left handed? It's tough enough scrolling through menus, but writing with our left hands to get to where we want to go? It ain't gonna happen.

carbonsigma

August 13, 2009 6:44 PM

Good call.

sideskraper

August 13, 2009 7:33 PM

What a load of clap. If you live in a RHD market and can change gears or adjust the audio system/satnav or play with the air con then you will be able to use this. You would be amazed at what you can do with your non dominant hand when you give it a shot. It's just rare for us to do that.

That said what we really need in the Audi MMI system is a 1-9, *, 0, # keypad like every telephone in the known universe. Combined with a headup display. The selector knob is infuriating when entering characters/numbers. There is no standard reference for number of turns to a character or number. Truly infuriating if you don't want to pull off the road for 45 seconds to program something basic into the system.

Edited by user on August 13, 2009 at 7:34 PM

Bristol411S3

August 13, 2009 9:08 PM

Are you seriously comparing the dexteirty needed to write with that required to wave a stick round a gate?

Maybe you could put up a sample of your handwriting; my bet is I could write smarter with a crayon in my arse. :-)

catchmyshadow

August 13, 2009 6:32 PM

handwriting is just 1 of the options, the system will also feature all the other traditional ways (language, MMI etc.)

benzboy

August 13, 2009 7:40 PM

The only problem with this I see is , that since I started using the computer, I dont hand write anything any amore and now I cant even read my own handwriting. could be a problem and I am not even a doctor!!

sideskraper

August 13, 2009 7:48 PM

I know this is going to sound preachy, but that isn't natural.

tootall

August 16, 2009 12:14 PM

It seems like to me, you may need to invest in a few remedial penmanship classes then.

Schizo0223

August 13, 2009 7:43 PM

Touchscreen navigation is the most convenient that I've used so far. If this handwriting thing is anything like the ones in my smartphone than forget about it. It's really frustrating to use if you write really fast.

eeoikari

August 13, 2009 8:03 PM

I just wonder how well touch screens work when it's freezing outside and the car's interior temperature goes below 0 Celcius. Surely LCD screens work poorly anyway in cold temperature.

Edited by user on August 13, 2009 at 8:04 PM

sideskraper

August 13, 2009 9:00 PM

Wait, why does it select HA when there is clearly a M scribbled into the console? ;)

eeoikari

August 13, 2009 9:19 PM

Someone is going to Hamburg... H and A are already scribbled.

sideskraper

August 13, 2009 10:09 PM

So why doesn't it say McDo..... ;P

mojtaba2

August 14, 2009 12:16 AM

im an audi fan, but this tech is useless, specially when u have to input a destination letter by letter...

GRAVE

August 14, 2009 5:16 AM

Writing while driving? this is unsafe! it will pull your attention from the road!

This creation if fitted into the A8 will be one of the main reasons of death!

Edited by user on August 14, 2009 at 10:49 AM

BabyMilo

August 14, 2009 8:50 AM

I have hand writing recognition on my phone and it is a pain up the ass to use, it doesnt always recognise the letter and so on. I would rather just have a touch screen with letters

fattychrisbmw

August 14, 2009 10:16 AM

whoever came up with this stupid idea should be fired, along with the whole design team, also the CEO... damn the whole damn company is stupid.. and the cars should be scrapped..

catchmyshadow

August 14, 2009 12:56 PM

lol mug!

dimeNickel

August 14, 2009 9:41 PM

start looking at what you're writing, start erasing and after 15 seconds of trying to work it out, the a8 gets totalled

EH?

August 17, 2009 1:15 AM

what they dont show on the screen is the truck hurtling towards them cos the audi driver has read the word incorectly

radmeister

August 18, 2009 7:08 AM

I think the solution for a car in this segment (ppl with a decent amount of $) would be cellphone synchronization. Most people know where they are going before they get in their cars, most people have cellphones, most ppl that have enough $ for this car have a GPS capable cell. If your car had it's own cellphone # with txt messaging service and it could recognize addresses from txt messages that would be amazing. You search on your iphone or nokia nseries where you want to go click send address to car, and your car already has the address and route planned before you get in. Or lets say a friend wants you to meet up somewhere they send you a text message containing the address and your car recognizes it and BAM it asks you if you wish to go there, simple click yes or no. I think that would be really cool and useful, i mean Nokia has this already with their maps and contact geotagging, you can see where your friends that have nokia maps and enable the feature are. Why not use that in your car too.

radmeister

August 18, 2009 7:13 AM

This is also good for europe and mutes. Voice doesn't work so well when you are going from lets say England to france, or france to germany, or italy or romania, or a country using a foreign language. Even less effective if you are mute, also a touch keypad is a pain in the ass, small area for the keys, plus more than half of the screen would be out of reach, and bumps in the road, try typing on an iphone with your arm fully extended out poking at it sitting in a chair while someone is shaking it, not so easy. This would put all your letters in 1 box closer to the driver, and save you using MMI wheel, or worry about foreign language pronunciation. I think it has it's benefits. You guys just havent thought of them.

Faithback

August 23, 2009 1:06 PM

Touchscreen virtual keyboards seem like good enough for now... Garmin, iPhone, Nokia 5800 XM & N97 are reasonable examples... Problem of pressing the same key 3x by mistake due to road vibrations remains a challenge, but is managable.

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