On the heels of its 32 billion USD takeover of chip designer ARM Holdings, SoftBank Corp creator Masayoshi Son is starting on another crazy concept: talking cars that can check out a driver’s emotions.
The Japanese telecoms and internet corporation stated on Thursday it was coordinating with Honda Motor to look at methods of using SoftBank’s humanoid robotic technology to automobiles so they can communicate with drivers, perhaps assisting them park or offering company on long journeys.
The statement comes after SoftBank on Monday agreed to buy British chip designer ARM Holdings, which Son thinks will play a central function in the tech market’s shift to the ‘internet of things’ (IoT).
Speaking at an occasion in Tokyo, Softbank and Honda explained a future where Honda cars might speak and interact with their drivers by means of cloud-based innovation based upon SoftBank’s “Pepper” robotic, a life-sized robotic that can examine human feelings.
“Imagine if robots, with their super intelligence, devoted themselves to humans,” Son said.
“And picture that vehicles themselves ended up being supercomputers or robotics one day. Honda will be the first to adopt this innovation.”
The two companies would look into methods to examine a motorist’s speech, along with other information assembled by vehicle sensing units and video cameras, to determine the motorist’s feelings and enable the car to engage in discussion.
As an outcome, vehicles would have the ability to offer guidance and assistance to motorists, such as during tough driving or parking scenarios, while also giving company to drivers on long, singular journeys.
