Dashboard battles: tech giants vs automakers

The digital assistant is reshaping the way drivers interact with their vehicles. Harnessing advanced voice technology, these systems can offer a familiar, convenient alternative to control certain vehicle functions. But they can do much more than adjust the air-conditioning. Providing they are granted access to a user's emails, calendar contents, and preferences, for instance, they can make restaurant recommendations or suggest a more efficient journey home. With increasing input from vehicle sensors and growing levels of artificial intelligence (AI) they can even detect the driver's mood and tell jokes.