Voice Control Module- Fail.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
Plymouth Horizon ;]
Voice Control Module- Fail.
As a part of modding my E55, I decided to add voice control. I purchased the module and finally installed it today. The installation and version coding were fairly simple and only took about 35 minutes all together.
After playing with it for about 20 minutes I "declare" this module crappy and definitely not worth the money. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect much from it to begin with having dealt with other voice control units in other cars I've owned. But other than switching between the command unit applications like Audio, Navi, Radio, Sat, Phone and using basic functions within them (when they work), this thing is pretty much useless.
The phone voice functions are handy in theory, but definitely buggy. I'll say "dial David", for example, and the 'Merc lady' will say "Please repeat" about 3-5 times until it gets "frustrated" and cancels on its own. I tried it with a few different contacts, all with fairly common names but it didn't work, not even once. - Reading it a number is another story. Unless you read the numbers quickly and without pausing (eg. 8005552233) it will not work, it will start dialing as soon as you pause. For example if I said 800555 and slightly paused like you would normally read a phone number, it will start dialing before I had a chance to complete the number.
For Audio applications the functions are very basic, but work better than they do with the phone. You can actually say the track number and it would work 3/5 times. You can't use the name of the MP3 Folder or CD/Artist/Album/Sat Radio text names.
I will probably play with it more and more as time goes on, but my first impression was terrible, I figured I'd throw it out there and warn anyone else thinking about investing in a VCM for their W211.
After playing with it for about 20 minutes I "declare" this module crappy and definitely not worth the money. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect much from it to begin with having dealt with other voice control units in other cars I've owned. But other than switching between the command unit applications like Audio, Navi, Radio, Sat, Phone and using basic functions within them (when they work), this thing is pretty much useless.
The phone voice functions are handy in theory, but definitely buggy. I'll say "dial David", for example, and the 'Merc lady' will say "Please repeat" about 3-5 times until it gets "frustrated" and cancels on its own. I tried it with a few different contacts, all with fairly common names but it didn't work, not even once. - Reading it a number is another story. Unless you read the numbers quickly and without pausing (eg. 8005552233) it will not work, it will start dialing as soon as you pause. For example if I said 800555 and slightly paused like you would normally read a phone number, it will start dialing before I had a chance to complete the number.
For Audio applications the functions are very basic, but work better than they do with the phone. You can actually say the track number and it would work 3/5 times. You can't use the name of the MP3 Folder or CD/Artist/Album/Sat Radio text names.
I will probably play with it more and more as time goes on, but my first impression was terrible, I figured I'd throw it out there and warn anyone else thinking about investing in a VCM for their W211.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Southern California
E55 w/ goods, Z32 Project underway
Curious, do you have a heavy accent? This can impact performance .The only car voice control that ever worked for me was in my Acura RL. Amazing and light years ahead of any Benz, even better than our Lexus's. My Chrysler on the other hand is absolutely ludicrous. "YES!", "please say yes or no", "YES!", "please say yes or no", "YES you piece of ****!, YES!, f-in YES!. "Now Dialing". Typical conversation. And to dial a number is downright comical. Need to post a Youtube on how bad it is.
Last edited by pearlpower; Dec 15, 2010 at 01:26 AM.
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
fwiw, my VC came as a factory install as part of the new COMAND (2009 E63.) Before you use it you go through a 15 minute exercise so it can recognize your voice. It asks you to speak (several times over) all numbers and all commands that used in VC.
After you do that, it works great.
After you do that, it works great.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
Plymouth Horizon ;]
I don't think so. I actually try to be very clear when talking to the VC. Although, I am from Philadelphia and we do have a slight accent on words like TOOK and WOOTER 
I wish there was something like that for the older COMAND, it makes sense that it will need to some-what learn my voice.
fwiw, my VC came as a factory install as part of the new COMAND (2009 E63.) Before you use it you go through a 15 minute exercise so it can recognize your voice. It asks you to speak (several times over) all numbers and all commands that used in VC.
After you do that, it works great.
After you do that, it works great.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Maryland
Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
I have it as standard equipment on my SL600, and I've tried using it once, for the reasons you stated. It's much easier just to reach over and push a button. Until I read this, I literally forgot I even had it. It's pointless.
