New Energy Vehicle Companies Step Up Their Game, Starting with the Ideal L9
By Jaz
This year’s new energy vehicle companies have been brought to the forefront with the release of the Ideal L9, following the success of the Ideal ONE which has been on the market for over two and a half years. With over 30,000 orders already made, the industry is buzzing about the potential success of the Ideal L9.
On the topic of technological advancements, the Ideal L9 is equipped with the AD Max Intelligent Driving System, featuring automatic parking, Urban Intelligent driving NOA, and OTA remote updates, in addition to a strong hardware system that includes 24 sensors and two Orin-X chips.
What really sets the Ideal L9 apart from the competition is its integration of intelligent elements into the vehicle cabin, including intelligent air suspension, five 3D screens, and even gesture recognition.
However, it’s the smaller details that can make or break the car-buying experience. In the era of technological advancements, vehicle screens are becoming increasingly larger and more complex, leading to a growing demand for car input methods that are both convenient and reliable.
Realizing this, the Ideal L9 partnered with leading input software provider Baidu Input Method to offer an AI-enabled intelligent car input system that is tailor-made for the L9 with Baidu’s “Smart Input Solution.”
So why is it so important for companies to stay on top of their game when it comes to the latest input methods? As the wave of technological advancements sweep through the automotive industry, companies must lean heavily into the “circle of cooperation,” bringing together strengths and specializations to create partnerships with technology heavyweights. This applies not only to exterior design, power, and intelligent systems, but to in-car systems as well, including the car input method.
In fact, car input methods are often the source of many customer complaints, as even the slightest inaccuracy in input recognition can lead to a negatively impacted user experience. A prime example of this was observed by the media at the recent Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Auto Show, where a consumer tested the navigation system using the car input method, only to be left with inaccurate recognition and lagging input speeds.These minor details deeply affect the consumers’ perception of the brand’s intelligence experience and constitute the “first impression” of whether the in-car system is user-friendly, becoming one of the basic criteria for evaluating the level of intelligence in the automotive industry.
What should an ideal intelligent input method be like?
The cooperation between iFLYTEK L9 and Baidu input method answers a question – what exactly is a user-friendly and intelligent input method.
The reason why iFLYTEK L9, which can continue the myth of hot-selling, chose to cooperate with Baidu input method is nothing but the product accumulation and professional ability of Baidu input method.
Without accumulation, it is difficult to have good products. Currently, the “original equipment input method” is used in the market of the automotive industry. Although the original equipment may be convenient, it lacks customized vocabulary, scene-based input needs, and it is difficult to meet the requirements of intelligent in-car input method.
According to “Autohome”, the core advantage of Baidu input method lies in its years of experience in the industry and its deep understanding of user input needs.
At the same time, Baidu input method relies on Baidu’s powerful AI technology matrix, including speech, image, natural language processing, text recognition, knowledge graph, etc., to successfully empower the automotive industry through AI input, bringing value to enterprises.
Therefore, in addition to new players such as iFLYTEK L9, Baidu input method also includes domestic top traditional automakers represented by Geely and autonomous driving companies represented by Momenta.
A battle between Baidu input method and the intelligentization of automakers thus begins.
A: Intelligent Pinyin – Customized vocabulary as a foundation, targeting the scene-based needs of car owners
The fundamental property of intelligent cars is mobile tools. When extended to specific use, the input method is required to quickly allocate the corresponding input candidates for different scenes.
In the AI-enabled era, the special feature of the customized geographical vocabulary of Baidu input method lies not only in its large number of geographical words, but also in its ability to accurately guess the heart of car owners.
Baidu input method supports the association of the national administrative division vocabulary library and, through the customized geographical vocabulary library, can accurately match more complete and specific geographical vocabulary, which can help car owners quickly find possible locations to go, ultimately reducing the overall input time and making the car owner’s intelligent cockpit use more fluent.
In addition, Baidu input method can also achieve Pinyin abbreviation words and intelligent error correction, and as long as the user enters the first letter of a word, it can accurately output the word.
For example, if the user is in Shenzhen, then entering “hzzx” will prompt Baidu input method to propose “Convention and Exhibition Center” as a geographical word. If you want to type “Anhui” but accidentally inputted “anghui”, the option of “Anhui” will still appear.
The simplest functions often test the most genuine skills, and the intelligent optimization of simple spelling is also reflected in optimizing for different scenarios. As the car input method is not limited to the navigation system and may also involve entertainment and other application requirements, this is particularly evident in Idealland L9. In the front row of Idealland L9, there are a total of four screens, including the heads-up display (HUD), the steering wheel interactive screen, the vehicle central control screen, and the co-driver entertainment screen.
Consumers generally use navigation apps on the central control screen and use video apps for entertainment on the co-driver’s screen. The Baidu input method can tailor the word recommendation based on different app scenarios, achieving efficient input on both the main navigation screen and the co-driver’s entertainment screen.
For example, when opening a map app and a video app on the main and co-driver screens respectively and inputting the simple spelling letters “qlz,” a contextual word recommendation effect will appear—the main screen input method may prioritize the display of “Qilizhuang” based on navigation needs, while the co-driver’s screen may prioritize video-related vocabulary such as “Dragon Ball” based on entertainment needs.
B: High accuracy in handwriting recognition and “free” input method
Intelligent car companies have different understandings of in-car systems, resulting in significant differences in HUD layouts. Traditional car manufacturers tend to install the main screen on the central position of the central control system, while new-wave car manufacturers prefer a three-screen cockpit design.
Changes in position and sitting posture affect the angle of input text, and Baidu input method has equipped intelligence down to the centimeter level to solve this problem.
According to Qiche Zhixin, ordinary input methods can only recognize vertical text written at a frontal angle, and slanted text is easily mistaken for other characters.
To solve this problem, Baidu input method has implemented slanted font recognition tailored to the different in-car system layouts of car manufacturers.
It is reported that the accuracy of Baidu input method in handwriting recognition has reached 97%, which means that no matter how far away the user is from the screen or at what angle the input is written, the recognition can be accurate and this has alleviated the embarrassment of having to rewrite handwritten characters.
From this perspective, Baidu input method has achieved “user freedom of position.”
Another highlight is the realization of “free” handwriting. Inputting characters word by word in handwriting mode can be a waste of a lot of time and effort, so Baidu input method supports a free writing mode that takes full advantage of the “big screen trend” of intelligent car companies, allowing users to write freely on the full screen of the big screen, where multiple words can be written continuously or overlapped, and all can be recognized accurately and input quickly.
In addition, Baidu input method has also achieved “scenario freedom,” which means that even in low signal areas such as tunnels and mountainous areas or even when not connected to the Internet, all handwriting recognition and association functions can be fully realized locally, without relying on the network, ensuring that users can handwrite input anytime, anywhere.# C: Customized services, the “cooperation battle” between input methods and car systems
The car system is still in the “Warring States Era”. Hongmeng system, Android system, the recently upgraded Apple Carplay and other self-developed cabin systems by various manufacturers are core competitors, making compatibility the most immediate challenge for input methods.
According to the person in charge of Baidu input method, although different car brands use different system UI, screen specifications, and hardware on their own car systems, Baidu input method adapts and customizes the input method based on the device information and input scene requirements provided by car manufacturers to create intelligent input solutions, achieving the effect of “1+1>2”.
For example, Baidu input method has introduced two different layout modes on car systems: traditional mode and floating mode. On larger screens, if users want to focus on browsing screen content, they can use the floating mode, which does not block the screen and can be freely dragged around.
On smaller car screens, users can choose the traditional mode, which is the mode that we normally use on mobile phones, which conforms to the bottom of the screen.
For different brands, Baidu input method will perform customized visual effect adaptation. Based on the mainstream car screen sizes and development trends, as well as human-computer interaction habits, Baidu input method designs a brand-exclusive keyboard on the keyboard size, key size, key gap, and functional level, which shows great effort.
This process is the result of continuous communication between Baidu input method and car manufacturers. On the basis of improving user experience, it enhances brand recognition for car manufacturers.
Moreover, Baidu input method’s customized car input method skin for the Li Xiang L9 will change skin colors based on time. Under bright light, the skin color will automatically switch to light mode, while in relatively dark environments, it will switch to dark mode to improve contrast and enhance overall usability.
Good product? Or too limited?
Input method is the most basic entry point in the Internet world. Car input method is often classified as a tool-type product, but it’s not enough for an input method to be just a good tool or a good product.
For the B-side, the core of Baidu input method is to provide customized smart input solutions.
According to a report by iiMedia Research, input method To B trend has emerged: with the strong development of mobile input methods and the maturity of C-end applications, the industry is gradually presenting new development trends, and platforms are beginning to turn to mining and expanding new demand in the B-end. The market competition pattern will also usher in new changes.
Baidu input method has embedded “AI + input method + industrial scenario” into the B-side market.
Currently, in addition to car manufacturers, Baidu input method has touched on areas such as intelligent office and intelligent marketing. How does this input method empower these fields? The answer is also customization.In terms of terminal and system compatibility, starting from the reality of adapting to various terminals, from car manufacturers to terminal adaptors, Baidu Input Method can be applied to various terminals such as automobiles, mobile phones, tablets, computers, TVs, watches, etc. It also supports various operating systems such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and can be adapted to domestic operating systems such as UOS and Kirin.
Baidu Input Method’s active layout for domestic systems has to some extent promoted the intelligent upgrade of input methods.
From the perspective of intelligent marketing, Baidu Input Method can provide personalized input customization functions for enterprises on specific scenes and devices.
For example, in cooperation with Minsheng Bank, Baidu Input Method has created a Minsheng Bank smart input solution that focuses on keyboard security, simplicity and convenience in the financial scenario. In addition to creating a Minsheng exclusive brand keyboard skin, it has also innovatively developed the Minsheng Bank service and marketing module.
From adaptation to in-vehicle operating systems to cross-border cooperation between enterprises, Baidu Input Method plays the role of “glue” to connect brands and consumers.
If you split the Baidu Input Method’s smart input solution into three layers, you’ll find that the top layer is input tools, including the most basic functions such as word libraries, keyboards, clipboards, etc. The middle layer is customized services, including customized keyboard skins, keyboard modules, etc. The bottom layer is AI innovation features, covering underlying technologies such as speech input, intelligent handwriting, intelligent prediction, intelligent correction, etc.
This pyramid structure, from shallow to deep, is closely linked to the depth of consumer touchpoints. From a smartwatch that is always with you to a car screen while traveling, the screen is embedded in life, and Baidu Input Method is everywhere.
Therefore, overall, the smart input solution not only enhances the intelligent input experience for users in various scenes but also empowers enterprises to improve brand awareness and assist in intelligent brand building.
The ubiquity of screens brings imagination to industries, and Baidu Input Method is gradually expanding its potential impact on car manufacturers and other industries.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.