Abstract: Sensors within the vehicle monitor driver movement, such as face and head movement to ascertain the direction a driver is looking, and gestural movement to ascertain what the driver may be pointing at. This information is combined with video camera data taken of the external vehicle surroundings. The apparatus uses these data to assist the speech dialogue processor to disambiguate phrases uttered by the driver. The apparatus can issue informative responses or control vehicular functions based on queries automatically generated based on the disambiguated phrases.