VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS USING A MOBILE DEVICE

A method of providing hands-free services using a mobile device having wireless access to computer-based services includes establishing a short-range wireless connection between a mobile device and a vehicle; receiving speech in the vehicle that is communicated to a mobile voice platform resident on the mobile device via the short-range wireless connection; parsing the received speech using the mobile voice platform to identify vehicle-specific vocabulary; when vehicle-specific vocabulary exists, identifying at least one vehicle-specific vocabulary term that affects vehicle operation; identifying at least one vehicle function of an inter-related group of vehicle functions that is associated with the identified vehicle-specific vocabulary; determining whether to access one or more cloud services based on the identity of the vehicle function; generating a text-based command reflecting audible control of the affected vehicle function; and sending the text-based command from the mobile device to the vehicle over the short-range wireless connection.