[It’s not unusual to speak of having a form of relationship with one’s car but the Chinese car company Nio embodies that relationship with the Nomi Mate smart digital assistant, as described in this short story from Electric Vehicle News. For more information, see:
- A 1:33 minute demo video from Nio via YouTube
- A (copy-protected) interview with the developer of Nomi Mate from Just Auto (with lots of indirect references to presence)
- A 3:23 minute video interview with Nio’s Engineering Director for Machine Learning from Auto Futures
- A 13 minute user demonstration video of interactions with Nomi via YouTube
- The Nomi project page for collaborating firm Star
- A review of the in-vehicle digital assistant market from TU-Automotive
- A strong negative reaction in CNET to an included 8:24 minute Nio video describing how Nomi ordered a condolence gift for its owners after their cat had died
–Matthew]
NIO’s NOMI – World’s First In-Vehicle Artificial Intelligence
February 12, 2020
In the past, cars gave people the freedom of mobility. In the future, we believe cars will go one step further to free people from driving altogether, giving them the newfound freedom of time. It’s a future we’re excited to shape as fully autonomous vehicles become a reality later this decade. NOMI will be even more beneficial when drivers do not need to remain attentive behind the wheel.
NOMI is NIO’s unique digital assistant for the dashboard that goes beyond standard infotainment and navigation functions to provide a closer emotional engagement with its drivers and passengers.
NOMI incorporates artificial intelligence with a charming face-like interface that swivels and blinks its oval “eyes” to address each vehicle occupant directly, depending on their location in the digital cockpit. This AI innovation is part of NIO’s mission to transform the cabin into a traveling digital living space for NIO’s users and friends.
NIO promotes a philosophy of “phys-gital” interaction, meaning physical and digital. NOMI serves a key role in that interaction by becoming the embodiment of tailored services that facilitate a greater emotional connection between users and their vehicle.
NOMI learns user preferences over time to understand the specific context of the car in relation to its owner. For instance, NOMI can set the personal seating and steering wheel positions whenever it senses a driver approaching the vehicle. Users can also give NOMI verbal commands to adjust the cabin temperature, open or close windows, or even snap an in-car selfie and have it displayed on the radio screen. NOMI knows how to do the right thing for you personally, which deepens the sense of emotional engagement.
NOMI further engages with users by understanding their daily routines and travel patterns, giving suggestions about the best real-time transit routes, providing notices about family or business appointments, and winking and nodding its head when it gets excited. Users can even choose to customize their NOMI by giving it a personalized name.
Once autonomous vehicles are adopted, NOMI will enable productive and enjoyable free time for users in the digital cockpit. NOMI will have the ability to serve up movies, shows, games, web conferences and software applications – or simply to go quiet and dark, allowing passengers to catch a quick nap while on the go. NIO envisions a promising future in which NOMI will enhance our lives by making us more playful, productive and peaceful.