Pioneer AVIC-F500BT Hybrid Voice Activated Navigation System and Bluetooth Media Controller

The ‘navi gadget’ market is undoubtedly an especially lucrative one so who can blame Pioneer for wanting a slice of the pie with its new AVIC-F500BT Hybrid Voice Activated Navigation System which serves not only as a GPS in-car navigation system, complete with 3D and overhead display, 5.8” touch screen and voice activated control, but also a Bluetooth based media controller allowing the AVIC-F500BT to take charge of your iPod and cell phone based music collections.

According to Larry Rougas, vice president of marketing and product planning for the mobile business group at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., ‘The AVIC-F500BT gives consumers the opportunity to merge their lifestyle products and habits into their cars, regardless of the type of vehicle they drive. It aggregates compatible portable personal devices — whether it’s an iPod, an MP3 player or Bluetooth cell phone — and links them all together without having to completely change out the car’s entire factory audio system. And with VoiceBox technology, which goes beyond fixed voice commands, the use of these devices in the car is more convenient.’

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT Official Press Release:

Media Center

The AVIC-F500BT can operate as both a navigation device and as a media center for entertainment. Through an auxiliary audio input in a factory audio system or using the available Pioneer installation module, the system becomes an aggregator and “gateway” for personal audio and communication devices. Built-in speakers and a rechargeable battery are also provided for use of the system while on the go.

The AVIC-F500BT significantly enhances the audio experience in the car with its ability to accept portable devices with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection and/or music-filled SD memory cards. A slot for both are available in the body of the unit which allows for quick connections of compatible MP3 or iPod music players as well as SD memory cards containing MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) music data. When a device is plugged in, the AVIC-F500BT recognizes it as a source and controls it through its touch panel display and/or by voice control.

Freedom of Speech

The AVIC-F500BT is the first aftermarket product in the industry to include the VoiceBox Conversational Voice Search Platform™, which allows users to control their Apple iPod players and Bluetooth enabled cell phones by voice. VoiceBox’s uniqueness lies in three areas: “conversational commands,” “intent recognition,” and the ability to handle noisy situations such as ambient vehicle noise and passenger conversations.

The system accepts different elements of spoken commands. The conversational element is its ability to analyze normal and varying phrases such as “I want to hear the artist U2” or “play U2” and the unit’s capability to play back songs by the specified artist. Additional variables for iPod playback include artist name, album name, playlist name and music genre. Another element of “conversational” is in situations where the user “stumbles” while saying their command such as, “Play, um, um let’s see the album Joshua Tree.” The unit has the capacity to recognize the command from the phrase, eliminating the extra words so that it can perform the desired function.

Intent recognition comes to life with hands-free applications. In most applications of voice recognition, consumers must use fixed and specific commands such as “Call Sandy Jones home” or “Call Sandy Jones mobile.” With intent recognition, a user can simply say, “Call Sandy Jones” and the unit will prompt the user for additional information by responding, “I have 2 numbers for Sandy Jones. Home and Mobile. Which would you like to call?”

Navigate

As powerful as an in-dash navigation system, the AVIC-F500BT is complete with mapping data from Tele Atlas for the entire United States, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. The 5.8-inch high-resolution WVGA screen shows mapping details with two view modes: overhead and moveable 3D. When a destination is input via touch screen, easy to follow step-by-step route guidance is displayed, followed by helpful audio prompts through the speakers in the car. The system also employs a Text-to-Speech (TTS) engine to further enhance its assistance capabilities by pronouncing street names. For example, the unit instructs the driver ahead by announcing the command and name of the street, i.e., “turn right on Remington Street,” instead of simply prompting, “turn right ahead.”

The system also includes a massive database for points of interest (POI), helping users quickly find popular destinations such as gas stations, ATMs, hotels and restaurants that can be searched either near a current location, or close to a specified destination. Categories of POIs can be overlaid onto the map for quick identification further enhancing the navigation experience.

A unique feature of the system is the ability for users to update and add POI information via the SD card slot. Using the AVIC-F500BT PC Application from Pioneer, users can create and store new points of interests onto an SD memory card which the system can reference. This is especially helpful when users want to add their personalized POIs or load available information from the Internet.

Built-in Technology

The AVIC-F500BT comes equipped with two additional key technologies: built-in Bluetooth for hands free calling, and MSN Direct services for traffic and data services. With Bluetooth becoming the standard in the cell phone industry, the AVIC-F500BT allows consumers to connect compatible cell phones to the device and utilize the vehicle (and/or built-in) speakers and the provided microphone to make and receive calls. When a call is received, the system automatically mutes audio and displays caller information on its large LCD touch panel display.

For further convenience in navigation, traffic information provided by MSN Direct is available with a paid subscription. The AVIC-F500BT displays traffic information, weather forecasts, gas prices and movie times for up to 100 cities across the United States and Canada. At a glance, users can see updated road conditions on their local freeways. The first three months of the MSN Direct service are offered for free with the purchase of the AVIC-F500BT system.

The AVIC-F500BT resides in a 7” X 4” X .75” chassis and utilizes a large high resolution WVGA 5.8-inch touch panel display. The large screen generates an easy to view map while its enhanced graphic user interface (GUI) makes it effortless for users to control and manage the system.

Furthermore, for safety and convenience, the AVIC-F500BT is equipped with a camera input and back-up trigger. The system automatically displays images from a separately-purchased camera, when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. This feature is extremely useful when used in large automobiles, such as SUVs, where it can be more difficult to see what is behind the vehicle.

No word concerning unit pricing is available at the time of writing though we can confirm that Pioneer’s AVIC-F500BT is due to begin shipping sometime in Spring 2008.

Pioneer [via]