Margins are shrinking. Consumers are holding onto vehicles longer. And traditional signals of automotive value—like horsepower or trim packages—aren’t driving purchase decisions the way they once did. As automakers embrace the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era, one thing is clear: cockpit experience is no longer optional. It’s the differentiator.

Today’s drivers expect an experience that mirrors their digital lives—seamless, personalized, and intuitive. But the influx of touchscreens, app integrations, and layered menus has created new friction. Complexity is undermining premium. Voice generative AI offers a better way.

Voice Generative AI: A Simpler Interface for a More Complex Car
The modern cockpit has become cluttered with functionality—and complexity. Every new feature layered on risks making the driving experience more frustrating, not more premium. OEMs are hearing this loud and clear from their customers.

Voice generative AI changes that. Our in-vehicle voice generative AI agents allow drivers to speak naturally and get instant, relevant results. “Find me a route that avoids tolls and stops for coffee.” “It’s too cold, turn on the heat.” These are live experiences happening in production today.

Solving What OEMs Care About: Satisfaction, Retention, Loyalty
Drivers still care most about their vehicle’s safety (85% according to Soundhound study), performance (85%), and reliability (81%). That’s good news—because multi-agent agentic voice generative AI experiences can make all of those experiences better.

Imagine the check engine light comes on. Instead of pulling over and searching what it might mean, the driver simply asks, “What's that yellow light in my dashboard?” The system taps into retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) agents along with other AI agents to reply, “It’s a minor issue. I’ve scheduled a service appointment for tomorrow at your usual dealership.”

That’s a meaningful shift—not just for the driver, but for the OEM. It drives service retention. It links the driver back to the brand ecosystem. It solves a real-world pain point, seamlessly. This ability to tap into the world around the driver is now a reality with Voice Commerce.

A New Model for Monetization
Our new Voice Commerce platform enables drivers to order food, book parking, or pay for services—all with their voice. It’s frictionless, brand-aligned commerce that happens in motion.

And it converts. In our most recent research, 77% of drivers said they’d make on-the-go food purchases through in-car voice commerce platforms over traditional drive thrus. 11% said they’d act on a targeted offer. That’s not hypothetical—that’s a 40+Billion dollar revenue opportunity waiting to be captured.

Deep Integration—Built for OEMs, Not Big Tech
SoundHound AI’s voice generative AI platform integrates directly with vehicle systems—from navigation and climate control to service booking and third-party transactions. Unlike big tech solutions, it’s fully OEM-branded, ensuring data ownership, brand identity, and user trust are preserved.

This is not a generic assistant. It’s a brand-aligned, deeply integrated experience that reinforces the automaker’s relationship with the driver—not erodes it.

The Time to Act Is Now
In face of softening markets, voice generative AI is already transforming the cockpit from a distraction point to a loyalty engine. The OEMs who act now will gain a strategic edge over their competitors and big tech will struggle to match.

To learn more about how you can reclaim the cockpit to open new revenue opportunities.