A vehicle system includes: a server configured to set a radio signal recommendation scheme based on whether a destination is set, determine whether a radio signal recommended in the set recommendation scheme is applicable, and transmit a radio signal recommendation list generated based on a determination result; and a vehicle configured to receive a radio signal. The vehicle receives the radio signal recommendation list from the server when a strength of the received radio signal is less than a specified value, compares a strength of at least one radio signal included in the radio signal recommendation list with the strength of the received radio signal, and determines whether to receive the recommended radio signal based on the comparison result.

Further improvement in usability is promoted. An information processing apparatus (10) includes: an acquisition unit (111) configured to acquire information regarding at least one candidate location; a generation unit (1122) configured to generate sound data for expressing a sense of distance from a current location of a user to the candidate location acquired by the acquisition unit (111) using a plurality of sound sources; and an output unit (113) configured to output the sound data generated by the generation unit (1122) to the plurality of sound sources.

A method for characterizing the curvature of a road section, including: selecting, from among the points of the section, the points marking a curvature of the section; computing, for each selected point of the section contained between the second and the penultimate one, an indicator of curvature of the section at this point; identifying each bend contained in the road section, each bend including a set of successive selected points of the section; and for each bend contained in the road section, comparing the indicator of curvature of at least one of the points of the bend with a predetermined threshold. If the indicator of curvature computed for at least one of the selected points of the bend exceeds the predetermined threshold, recording, in a database, a data record including at least the set of points of the bend, and an item of data characterizing the curvature of the bend.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for selecting alternate routes with fewer directions during vehicle navigation. The disclosed techniques herein determine directions from route data and direction timestamps for each of the directions. For each direction, a corresponding media asset from media assets in a playlist having a media asset duration that matches a direction duration is determined. The direction duration is the time difference between the direction timestamp and a subsequent direction timestamp.

A voice output unit is mounted on a vehicle. A determiner determines whether or not voice information generated in connection with traveling of the vehicle and output from the voice output unit is information for which an output point of the voice information is specified. A musical piece interval detector detects a time point at which there arrives an interval between musical pieces being reproduced, which are output from the voice output unit. An output controller changes an output time to the arrival time of the interval between musical pieces when the output time, which is specified for the voice information determined by the determiner as not being information for which the output point is specified, arrives at a time point other than the interval between musical pieces.

A vehicle selects various sound sources and outputs driving sound based on information received from the navigation system. A database stores sound sources classified as first and second emotions. A controller outputs a landmark name based on a route guidance text and outputs a ratio of the first and second emotions corresponding to the landmark name. The controller selects a first sound source from the sound sources classified as the first emotion based on the first emotion ratio, selects a second sound source from the sound sources classified as the second emotion based on the second emotion ratio and determines first and second playback periods based on the ratios of the first and second emotions. The controller outputs a first sound generated based on the first sound source during the first playback period and a second sound generated based on the second sound source during the second playback period.

To provide context-aware audio navigation instructions, a server device obtains sets of audio navigation instructions previously provided to users along with sensor data descriptive of a context in which the audio navigation instructions were provided and an indication of whether a driver correctly responded to the audio navigation instructions. The server device trains a machine learning model using this data, where the machine learning model identifies audio navigation instruction parameters for a particular context. In response to a request for navigation directions, the server device receives sensor data from the client computing device generating the request that is indicative of the environment surrounding the client computing device. The server device then applies the sensor data and navigation instructions to the machine learning model to generate a set of audio navigation instructions responsive to the request. The server device provides the set of audio navigation instructions to the client computing device.

A route guidance and proximity awareness system for the visually impaired includes a main body assembly worn around the body of the user and a headset assembly worn around the head of the user. The system incorporates proximity awareness technology and navigation technology to generate a 3D audio output to a user so as to generate an audible virtual environment reflective of the physical environment of the user. The assemblies include line of sight sensors, a central processing unit, a navigation module, and a camera assembly. Obstacles are detected and classified with a location and distance, and are concurrently processed with real time navigation that is adjusted to instruct not only how to get to a location but also how to avoid obstacles.

The present disclosure is related to a vehicle capable of outputting a sensible response voice in response to an utterance command of a user. The vehicle includes a voice processor configured to convert an utterance command of a user into text information and recognize a domain and an named entity corresponding to the utterance command based on the text information; a database configured to store answer text corresponding to the domain and the named entity; a speaker; and a controller configured to receive information corresponding to the domain and the named entity, correct the answer text stored in the database based on the information corresponding to the domain and the named entity, and control the speaker to output the corrected answer text.

A software application and system may be configured to enable a smartphone or other device to be used by a visually impaired person to receive voice navigation guidance during a directed exploration of an area. Directed exploration uses combinations of location data, directional data, and orientation data from the configured device to determine a direction that user wishes to explore, and only providing narrated results for streets, businesses, and other points of interest in that direction. The system may also utilize sets of wireless indicators positioned within indoor areas to provide accurate positioning to particular locations and floors within buildings.