BMW is working on making their cars more intuitive and easy to use while on the move.
Drivers will soon be able to talking to Alexa, the artificial intelligence voice assistant developed by Amazon. It will be part of the infotainment system making it easy to control the volume, switch media and control car’s features without lifting a finger.
The automobile brand has confirmed that BMW will implement the voice AI in selective models as well as the Mini’s. The team strongly believes that with Alexa supporting drivers, it should be a breezy affair to cruise on the car. The entire functionality is very similar to the Echo device in case you already had the chance to use it. You can do a lot of activities while driving the vehicle including placing phone calls, knowing the weather, switching on the music and even send commands to your smart home products before you reach the venue.
The future seems very promising because people will soon be able to do both office and home work even when on the move, saving them from the trouble of having to wait and switch on any devices personally. Alexa’s services will be integrated into the infotainment system of the BMW cars. Users won’t have to download any standalone app in order to use the voice AI as it will be provided by default whenever you buy a compatible model.
Also read : SEAT Cars Will Soon have Amazon’s Voice AI Alexa to Support Drivers
BMW wants to stay ahead of the competition by providing the functionalities people would want. They are not new to Alexa as it is already being used in some models but is very limited at the moment. The company wants to expand it so that everything inside the car’s premises can be customized without leaving the driver’s seat. Amazon and BMW didn’t release any official statements on this topic as they are probably getting ready to reveal them in a grand manner in an upcoming auto show.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the two major connectivity solutions provided for smart devices. While these smartphones rely on Siri and Google’s voice AI to get the job done, they don’t interact with the car directly. All the features in an infotainment system has to be activated through different means which is what Alexa aims to unify by being a single point of contact.
“We believe BMW and MINI will meet the requirements of modern day customers who expect a sophisticated lifestyle. Voice control is not new to BMW cars as we have been using it for a very long time. However, modern day AI assistants offer quick access and improve safety,” quoted BMW’s senior executive.
Image credits : Tctechcrunch2011, BMWgroup.com, BMWblog.com