VinFast integrates what3words into its Vietnamese Virtual Assistant

Street addresses can hamper the user experience for in-car navigation, especially when entered by voice. In Vietnam, street addresses do not always lead to the right place: postcodes are rarely used, addresses can be long and complex, and duplicate street names exist. In fact, a large proportion of urban Vietnam consists of small streets and narrow alleyways, some alleys don’t even have a name, but house over 85% of city dwellers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. ¹ what3words eliminates these issues, enhancing the navigation experience for drivers in Vietnam with the new cutting-edge technology.

what3words is revolutionising the way the world communicates location. It has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and given each a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. For example, ///become.outlooks.rising will take you to the exact entrance of what3words’ office in Ho Chi Minh City. The system can work offline and is available in 55 languages, including Vietnamese. The what3words app is free to download for both iOS and Android and accessible via the online map at what3words.com.

In 2022, VinFast became the first all-electric carmaker to integrate what3words, and its brand new VF8 and VF9 electric vehicles are equipped with the innovative location technology for users to type a what3words address into the car’s navigation system. Now, for the first time, VinFast drivers can speak a Vietnamese what3words address, to seamlessly navigate to any 3m x 3m square location. It means drivers always arrive at the correct destination without getting lost. VinFast is committed to equipping its vehicles with state-of-the-art technology, which is why it has now introduced what3words voice capabilities to its cars.

Madame Le Thi Thu Thuy, Global CEO of VinFast, said: “With a customer-centric philosophy, VinFast always listens and strives to apply the newest technology and provide top-notch services and outstanding experiences to customers. The what3words feature with Vietnamese voice entry serves as a vivid evidence of our commitment and effort in achieving this goal.”

Co-Founder and CEO of what3words Chris Sheldrick comments: “Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to experience what Vietnam has to offer: its bustling cities, beautiful landscapes, and vibrant culture. It also means I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find and navigate somewhere, whether that’s a specific office building entrance, or a hidden gem like a local restaurant or hiking path.

That’s why it’s hugely exciting to be at the forefront of voice technology alongside VinFast’s Virtual Assistant to revolutionise navigation for VinFast drivers. This is a significant milestone in our partnership with VinFast, and demonstrates the potential of two innovative brands coming together to create positive change.”

what3words is experiencing rapid growth in Vietnam. Since its launch in the market last year, what3words has partnered with leading Vietnamese brands. The first was VinFast, which has integrated the location technology into its full fleet of electric vehicles. E-commerce giant Hoa Sen Việt Group became the first consumer retailer to add a what3words field at checkout, so Reebok Vietnam, Beauty Box and TheFaceShop customers can get their parcels delivered exactly where they need to go. More e-commerce brands such as Vera and Jockey have also added a what3words field at checkout. 7Eleven has added a what3words field at checkout, so food deliveries can arrive at the right place and on time. Vietnam’s leading public transport app, BusMap, has implemented what3words, transforming multimodal city travel. Vietnam Post, announced its partnership with what3words in adopting the innovative location technology to their digital address system. And most recently, Da Nang became the first city in the country to adopt what3words for emergency services.

¹ https://www.iias.asia/the-newsletter/article/vietnamese-urban-fabric