Best car voice control systems tested and rated

Asking for a weather update didn’t go so well, though, because we got an “I’m not sure, sorry”. But nearby fuel station locations and directions were speedily displayed upon request, and you then chose one by number. 

The Skoda was the only car to recognise our lane-keep assist command, putting the function on the screen for us to turn off physically. It took 12 seconds for Laura to stop listening after staying silent and as you speak, your words are displayed on the screen – which is a nice touch. 

With the Tesla Model 3 (and most of our cars on test) you’ll find a choice between activating the voice command with speech or through a button on the steering wheel – it’s one of the few physical buttons in the Tesla’s cabin. The sat-nav works well and comes up with routes quickly, although we had to confirm our choice, which felt like an unnecessary step. 

The Tesla thought our “take me to British Motor Museum” request was a joke at first, although it understood the instruction the second time around. The navigation to the nearest charging station was pain-free, though.

The radio station played almost immediately and the temperature setting worked perfectly as well. Our “turn off lane-keep assist” was not understood, though, with the car replying “could not turn off climate keeper”. The Tesla does give a useful script of what you’re saying, however, so you know it’s getting your words right, and it takes 15 seconds to automatically turn off after activation.

The Volvo EC40 uses a Google-based infotainment system so the voice-recognition tech works in the same way as any other set-up running the firm’s software. You simply start by saying ‘Hey Google’ and the voice recognition begins almost immediately, with a note on the central touchscreen saying ‘Hi, how can I help?’. To work the sat-nav we had to say “directions”, then we could request directions to London or the British Motor Museum.

The radio request command worked perfectly, as did the heated seats, which can also be chosen individually. The ambient temperature was also set without hassle, and the tech pointed out a list of the nearest charging stations. The weather description was only a brief audio-only statement, though. After turning the voice-recognition service on, you’ll have to wait 23 seconds for it to stop listening.

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