SHAH ALAM: The new 2025 Proton X50 facelift features a world-first Malay language Voice Recognition (VR) and its chosen name is “Aisyah”.
In a statement, Proton says this single industry-unique feature significantly enhances convenience, accessibility and safety, while providing an exceptionally intuitive user interface.
Alongside its existing English support, this dual-language capability sets Proton apart as the first carmaker to offer such advanced voice command functionality.
Proton says the Malay language VR system was developed in a span of seven months, significantly shortened from what was initially planned as a year-long project.
This development from October 2024 to May 2025 involved collecting 4,000 Malay language command variations and throughout the same period 4,000 English command variations were also collected.
Over 336,000 manhours were invested in collaboration with ACO Tech, a joint venture with Proton specialising in smart mobility solutions, to bring this Malay language VR system to life.
More than 200 samples of standard Malay language recordings, evenly split between male and female speakers, were meticulously recorded to ensure accuracy across a wide range of phrases, including natural language variations like “buka tingkap” and “bukakan tingkap” (Open the window in English).
To recap, Proton’s journey with VR started in 2018, with the introduction of the Geely Smart Ecosystem (GKUI) based infotainment system in the original Proton X70.
In 2022, the X50 became the first connected vehicle in Malaysia to adopt the infotainment head unit (IHU) with ATLAS (ACO Tech Local Automotive Services) OS and a localised VR system optimised for Malaysian English.
The “Hi Proton” voice command system allowed users to control various in-car functions, including dialling phone, radio, music, navigation, windows, sunroof and air-conditioning.
More importantly, this allows drivers to perform simple tasks like operating windows or adjusting air-conditioning without taking their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road, significantly enhancing driving safety.
Today, the convenience of voice commands in existing Proton vehicles is evident in their frequent usage.
For example, Proton’s internal data for June 2025 shows “Hello” as the most frequently spoken word with 43,896 commands recorded, followed by queries beginning with the words “What” –
such as “What is the weather like today” – and “Call” with 40,779 and 24,647 commands respectively.
Total transactions in June reached 2.8 million with 228,046 active users.
Future enhancements of the VR system will be delivered via over-the-air (OTA) updates.
This VR cloud system will automatically update and expand its vocabulary, intelligently understanding more commands such as “I want to see the sky” to open the sunroof, offering an ever evolving and smarter experience for drivers.
While currently optimised for female voices, the team is developing male voice recognition and exploring the integration of other languages and dialects for future iterations.
“The introduction of Malay language voice recognition in the X50 solidifies Proton’s position as a pioneer in automotive technology, truly embodying the spirit of ‘made by locals for the locals’," said Proton Edar deputy CEO Zhang Qiang.
"We are incredibly proud to introduce the world’s first Malay language voice recognition system in the new X50," he said.
