Visteon's HABIT is a concept infotainment system that puts road trip copilots out of a job (video)

A good acronym also hints at what it does, and Visteon's new intelligent in-car concept, HABIT, is a good example of that. The Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology system -- to give it its full name -- learns the behaviour of drivers so it can automatically change the temperature, heat the seats and drop that Biohazard album just when you need it most. Factors such as weather, time of day and real-time road conditions all play a part, plus, of course a log of all your typical in-car interactions. It promises to go above just warming your behind on a cold morning though, offering intelligence that would be able to divine local radio stations that play your kind of jam when you're out of town. It could also seamlessly mix these with your local / tablet / smartphone library and internet sources. Sound a little too creepy? Wait until you see the computer-generated demo video presenter past the break.

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Visteon Cockpit Concept Learns the Driver's HABIT

System understands driver's personal preferences to deliver a more meaningful experience behind the wheel

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Would you like your vehicle to suggest a different route to or from work when there are unexpected delays on your regular course? What if your vehicle's cabin temperature adjusted automatically based on your preferences and the outside temperature?

Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) has developed a unique cockpit concept that offers these solutions and others by incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver an enhanced driving experience. Visteon's Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology (HABIT) system employs machine learning algorithms that are cognizant of the specific driver and the surrounding environment.

The HABIT system continually learns as it processes a driver's selections of climate temperatures, radio stations, phone call tendencies and other unique behaviors depending on the outside temperature and time of day. It factors in the individual's historical inputs to present a human-machine interaction (HMI) that is customized for the driver. The system also learns the driver's tastes -- even when he or she is not in the vehicle. For example, HABIT registers activity like music that the driver has listened to using his or her on-line music library or Internet radio.

"The goal of HABIT is to become an experience that improves each time the driver uses the ever-aware system," said Shadi Mere, innovation manager at Visteon. "With vehicle manufacturers striving to deliver a more personalized driving experience, the HABIT cockpit concept demonstrates how your car can learn and grow with you over its lifetime."

During a recent research clinic, more than 70 percent of survey respondents had a positive initial reaction to the HABIT concept. Respondents liked the anticipatory learning of the system and the natural voice interaction, combined with voice shortcuts, which aligned with their expectations of voice commands similar to the ones on their smartphones and other devices. Visteon's cockpit concept incorporates high-end graphics and animation designed to improve interaction with mobile devices.