Buick LaCrosse Review: Luxury Sedan Marred by Its Voice Command-Recognition Feature

By Vincent Alocada, Christian Post Contributor Monday, July 31, 2017

While the sleek design and road performance of the Buick LaCrosse 2017 got the nod of car aficionados, the same thing cannot be said about its voice-recognition technology.

There is no denying that the new Buick LaCrosse boasts of advanced technology. Apart from its built-in 4G WiFi hotspot† capability that keeps its riders connected while they are on the road, it also comes with an intuitive Head-Up Display available to project information onto the windshield that enables the driver to keep his focus while maneuvering the wheels.

It also comes with OnStar Smart Driver's Telematics, which, according to VentureBeat, this feature makes drivers aware of how bad they can be on the road and reminds them to drive safely.

While the car comes with its IntelliLink feature, which allows users to play their favorite music, access smartphone contacts, get directions, and many other things, some reviews suggest that this feature of the Buick LaCrosse 2017 is a failure because of its voice-command recognition.

CNET, for instance, claims that the IntelliLink has failed to deliver what was expected of it as the system did not recognize the words said and suggested a location that is 12 miles away when, in fact, there is one option that can be accessed within a one-mile drive.

The online publication also pointed out that the system takes a long time to load phone contacts, until a voice prompt finally said that they were not loading at all. As the writer of CNET repeated his command, the voice prompt said that it does not recognize the command.

With this, the online publication suggests that Buick had better do something with its voice-recognition feature, as, apart from the fact that the said technology has been around for a while already, it is the right thing to do for the brand should it want its latest product to capture young buyers.

After all, for the young car buyers of today, a car's well-functioning modern-day technology, such as voice recognition, is a must, apart from a sleek look and impressive performance on the road.