(CelebrityAccess) – It looks like Amazon is making the jump into in-car entertainment following the release of a new developer kit designed to help manufacturers install Alexa into car dashboards.
A recent blog post published by Amazon reveals that drivers of Alexa-enabled cars will be able to use voice-controlled functions to do everything from listen to music and stream media to control smart home devices, notifications, weather reports, and tens of thousands of custom skills. Additionally, Alexa Auto SDK will provide users with the ability to connect to a wake word engine, place local phone calls, utilize its navigation system, and search for things like local restaurants, theatres, hotels, and landmarks etc..
Where Alexa Auto differs from its competitors, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is in that it does not allow smartphone users to access and operate their phone’s home screen within the car’s dashboard.
According to Amazon , the goal of the Alexa Auto SDK is to “simplify the integration of Alexa into in-vehicle infotainment systems and bring the Alexa experience that has delighted customers at home” with them on the road.
While this is not the first time Alexa has been available to drivers––Amazon has been working with car makers like Ford, BMW, SEAT, Lexus and Toyota for a while now to integrate its voice assistant into select vehicles––the SDK is a mean to be a much more user friendly, fully-integrated device.
