Operation of the OnStar® Speech Recognition Systems

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

OnStar® users communicate with 2 speech recognition systems. Speech recognition allows the user to speak to one computer in the vehicle, and one reached over a phone line. The computer tries to understand the users command, and responds by speaking back, or by taking the appropriate action, e.g. dialing the phone.

Personal Calling uses a speech recognition system that resides in the vehicle. When the user presses the phone button, the system states, Ready, and listens for the user's command. The user can speak commands to control the hands-free phone.
Virtual advisor is a remote speech recognition system that the caller can access by making a phone call. The user connects to virtual advisor by requesting it during personal calling use. The user is then transferred to the virtual advisor server and talks to it via a cellular connection.

The OnStar® speech recognition systems use speech technology that is designed to understand a wide range of American English speakers. Although there is no one right way to speak English, the system will work best when users try to modify their pronunciation should they encounter difficulty. Users who do not obtain good results are advised to try the tips and workarounds found in this section.

General Tips for Better Speech Recognition

Concern	Tip for Better Result
Noise	Noise may confuse the speech recognition system. You usually get better performance from the system in quieter conditions: The HVAC fan creates noise. Turn it down or OFF for better speech system performance. Driving at high speeds creates louder engine noise and wind noise. You may get better results at lower speeds. An open window or an open sunroof allows more noise to enter the vehicle. Close all windows for better results. Noisy rainstorms can also reduce performance. If passengers are talking while you use the speech system, it may be confused by their speech. You will get better results if all occupants of the vehicle are quiet while the system is listening for commands.
When to Speak	In Personal Calling, the system is only listening after it prompts you to speak. When the system prompts you to speak, you have about 5 seconds to respond. If the system does not hear a response, it will prompt you again, or cancel the transaction. If you begin to speak too soon, it will tell you "Slower, please." Try pausing for a half second before speaking. In the Virtual Advisor, the system is always listening for commands, even while it is speaking.
How to Speak	Speak forcefully, and clearly. The noisier the environment, the louder you need to speak. If you are in the driver seat, speak facing the front of the car. If you are a passenger, speak facing the rearview mirror. Speak calmly, and naturally. The system may sometimes fail your repeated attempts to give a command. If your speech is distorted by shouting or frustration, this may cause more errors. People with high-pitched voices may have better results by speaking in a deeper, lower-pitched voice. However, do not lower the volume of the voice. Avoid speaking with a rising intonation, like asking a question. Use a flat or falling intonation, like giving an answer.
What to Say	Personal Calling: One-word commands The Personal Calling system listens for only one word at a time. There are some exceptions, 2-word phrases that are spoken and understood as a single word, e.g. "virtual advisor", "voice feedback", and "my number". You can enter phone numbers only one digit at a time, and the system repeats each digit as it hears it. Say "Help" at the Ready prompt to hear the list of Personal Calling commands. Virtual Advisor can understand sentences with more than one word. It also expects to hear a 4-digit number all at once when it asks for your PIN. Say, "What are my choices?" to hear a list of commands that the Virtual Advisor understands.
Entering a phone number	If you have trouble getting numbers correctly into the system, store your frequently-called number in the directory, so the system will remember them. After you have stored a number with a nametag, then you simply say "call" and the nametag in order to call the number. If the system cannot understand your numbers, ask another person to help you enter your frequently-called numbers. This person can speak the numbers, then you can speak the nametag.
Storing or dialing a number	When you have finished speaking your phone number, you do not need to say "store" or "dial" to indicate that you are done. If you pause and say nothing, the system will ask you if you want to store or dial. Say "yes".
Creating nametags	Short nametags that are similar may be easily confused by the system. You may get better recognition of your nametags if you make them longer, for example "George Washington" without pause, instead of "George" only. If you want to use nametags while driving, it is best to store the nametag with some vehicle noise in the background. If you are in park while you are storing nametags, you can turn the fan on low or open windows in order to create some background noise.
Virtual Advisor 4-digit PIN	Say the 4 digits in a natural way, without pausing between digits.
Interrupting	When the Virtual Advisor is speaking, you can interrupt it with another command. The first word in your command helps to get its attention. If the Virtual Advisor has trouble understanding your commands when you interrupt, try speaking the first word loudly and clearly, then pause for an instant, then continue with the rest of the command. For example: "Get .. my weather" or "Lookup... a quote for General Motors".