SHIMOYAMA, Japan -- Toyota will combine voice and gesture recognition with predictive artificial intelligence in its new Arene operating system.
Toyota in October demonstrated Arene's communication capabilities to the media at its technical center here, near Nagoya, using a model from its premium brand, Lexus.
During one test the driver said, "Hey Lexus, what is that?" and pointed toward an advertising billboard of a restaurant. The car responded by providing the name and location of the restaurant.
If the driver asks more detailed questions, such as the restaurant's opening hours, that day's menu, or asks to book a table and to be driven there, Arene's predictive AI understands that the subject of the questions is still the restaurant. That means the driver doesn't have to start the query from the beginning.
The operating system, which was developed in-house, is scheduled to debut in late 2026 on the production version of the Lexus LS-ZC midsize sedan, which was shown as concept at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.
The voice and gesture recognition feature could also help drivers and passengers make long trips more insightful because they could point to a church or a landmark and ask for -- and get -- details about the surroundings or nearby locations.
Toyota said Arene will get its information from several sources, including Wikipedia as well as the driver's preferred news and information providers. The operating system will also adapt by learning from the user's habits.
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Toyota estimates that Arene will be able to control up to 200 in-vehicle functions and that AI will play a crucial role in "providing a user experience that is as comfortable and natural as if the driver were speaking to an agent."
