SoundHound AI, a company specializing in voice AI, has integrated its SoundHound Chat AI into the new Lancia Ypsilon' S.A.L.A. infotainment system. This integration is available across several European markets including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands.

The S.A.L.A. infotainment system, which stands for Sound, Air, Light and Augmentation, allows drivers and passengers to interact with the vehicle's voice assistant by simply saying "Hey SALA" or pressing a button. This enables users to access dynamic audio and visual information, offering a versatile conversational experience.

With SoundHound Chat AI, Lancia customers can enjoy generative AI-style responses for a range of requests, such as making calls, navigating and getting real-time information such as weather updates and sports scores. The technology is designed to recognize natural human speech and use GenAI to provide engaging and informative conversations.

It supports follow-up questions and pulls in real-time data for optimal responses, enhancing the driving experience with suggestions for places to visit, dining options, lodging and practical information such as the location of rest stops with electric vehicle charging.

"We are thrilled to bring SoundHound Chat AI to Lancia vehicles and offer even more drivers and passengers a new level of convenience and connectivity,” said Michael Zagorsek, COO of SoundHound AI. “This expansion marks another important step in our mission to transform in-car experiences with cutting-edge, truly conversational voice technology that drivers love and automakers trust.”

Lancia joins other Stellantis brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Peugeot, Opel, Vauxhall and DS Automobiles in adopting SoundHound AI's voice assistant technology. Earlier in 2024, DS Automobile became the first car brand to fully produce a vehicle with an integrated voice assistant featuring GenAI technology through SoundHound Chat AI.

SoundHound's data indicates a growing consumer demand for advanced in-vehicle voice assistants, evidenced by increased usage and a significant rise in the consumer loyalty-based Net Promoter Score.