AI industry leaders join forces to unlock intelligent, low-power voice interaction for automotive applications

SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS:

Cerence AI and SiMa.ai partner to run CaLLM Edge on SiMa's Modalix MLSoC, bringing advanced, low-power conversational AI to vehicles.
This partnership allows OEMs to deliver an improved user experience with real-time, multi-modal interaction.
The solution will debut at IAA Mobility 2025, with a live demo of CaLLM Edge running on SiMa.ai hardware.

MUNICH and BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IAA Mobility 2025 -- Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ:CRNC) ("Cerence AI"), a global leader pioneering conversational AI-powered user experiences, and SiMa.ai, which builds ultra-efficient machine learning system-on-chip (MLSoC) platforms with best-in-class multi-modal inference, today announced a new strategic partnership. The collaboration brings CaLLM™ Edge, Cerence AI's automotive-grade embedded small language model (SLM), to SiMa.ai MLSoC Modalix, delivering intelligent, low-power in-car conversational AI experiences.

The joint solution will debut at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, where Cerence will showcase Cerence xUI™, the company's agentic AI assistant platform, with CaLLM Edge running on SiMa.ai hardware.

"Our partnership with SiMa.ai represents a major leap forward in deploying efficient on-device AI for current and next-generation vehicles," said Cerence AI Executive Vice President, Product & Technology, Nils Schanz. "Within Cerence xUI, CaLLM Edge delivers advanced reasoning, multi-turn conversation, and proactive engagement, all running seamlessly on the MLSoC Modalix. With cross-platform compatibility and hardware flexibility, we empower OEMs to adapt quickly, reduce complexity, and deploy bespoke in-car assistants across different vehicle platforms."

The integration of CaLLM Edge with SiMa.ai's Modalix platform delivers on the needs of automakers and end users alike by providing a robust, high-performing technical foundation for in-vehicle AI at the edge. Cerence's hybrid AI creates efficient and fluid transitions between edge and cloud execution, a critical requirement in delivering an uninterrupted, high-quality conversational user experience. By leveraging the edge capabilities of Cerence xUI on MLSoC Modalix, OEMs can optimize the user experience by delivering real‑time, multi-modal interaction and processing sensor inputs as well as conversational inference directly on-device with industry-leading power efficiency.

Today's drivers expect features to work everywhere, putting pressure on OEMs to deliver smart, reliable experiences. However, cloud-only solutions rely heavily on connectivity, and can result in degraded user experiences during connectivity loss. Cerence's hybrid AI architecture tackles these challenges by combining embedded AI for ultra-low-latency responsiveness and enhanced privacy with enriched, context-aware information from the cloud. With CaLLM Edge running on Modalix, the in-car AI experience for the end user is faster, more responsive, more conversational, and available regardless of connectivity.

For many automakers, increased flexibility and resilience are key considerations. As OEMs face increasing platform complexity and navigate supply chain volatility, there is a growing need for hardware flexibility and cost-effective performance. CaLLM Edge is engineered for cross-platform compatibility and built to run efficiently on a wide range of hardware architectures. With the addition of MLSoC Modalix to Cerence AI's platform ecosystem, OEMs now have access to a compact, power-efficient, and scalable edge solution that enhances flexibility in deployment.

"The ultimate vision is voice control that understands the user as naturally as a human would. While LLMs can deliver this capability, they typically depend on the cloud or power-hungry graphics cards," said Harald Kröger, President of Automotive at SiMa.ai. "Together, SiMa.ai and Cerence offer a breakthrough: a production-ready device that delivers extraordinary performance with exceptional energy efficiency. Paired with the LLiMa™ toolchain, it significantly reduces integration effort and accelerates development time," he added.

To see Cerence AI and SiMa.ai's integrated solution in action, visit Cerence AI at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich: Booth D21, Hall B2.

For more information about SiMa.ai, visit sima.ai. To learn more about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai, and follow the company on LinkedIn.

About Cerence Inc.

Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ:CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys. With more than 525 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai.

About SiMa.ai

SiMa.ai is a leader in Physical AI, delivering a purpose-built, software-centric platform that brings best-in-class performance, power efficiency, and ease of use to Physical AI applications. Focused on scaling Physical AI across robotics, automotive, industrial automation, aerospace & defense, smart vision, and healthcare, SiMa.ai is led by seasoned technologists and backed by top-tier investors. Headquartered in San Jose, California. Learn more at www.sima.ai.

Contact Information

Cerence AI: Media: press@cerence.com | Investors: cerence@pondel.com

SiMa.ai: The Hoffman Agency: sima.ai@hoffman.com | Srivatsan Desikan srivatsan.desikan@sima.ai

Cerence AI and SiMa.ai Partner to Power Next-Gen Conversational AI at the Edge