Amazon Echo Auto is a new smart device to bring Alexa inside the car. Available in Italy at 59.99 euros
After debuting at the beginning of the year at CES 2020 (Consumer Electronics Show, the most important fair dedicated to electronics in the world), Amazon Echo Auto also arrives in Italy: from today, June 17, it is available on the e-commerce site. As you can easily guess from the name, Amazon Echo Auto is a small device that brings Alexa even inside the car: in this way you can manage the infotainment system directly with your voice.
The small smart speaker (it's a little less than 5 centimeters big and a little more than 1 centimeter thick) can be placed on the air conditioning vent and is powered through the 12V socket of the car or from the USB port, while for the audio part you need to connect it to the stereo system with the 3.5mm audio jack. To get Alexa in the car, one more step is required: connect Amazon Echo Auto to the voice assistant app installed on your smartphone. Thanks to the eight microphones on the device, it is very easy to command Alexa, even in the presence of very loud external noises.
What you can do with Amazon Echo Auto
What is Amazon Echo Auto for? And why does it make car travel safer? The device allows you to use voice commands to manage the car's infotainment system. This way you don't get distracted when you're driving and you don't take your eyes off the road.
With Amazon Echo Auto you can activate Alexa and play your favorite songs, ask for weather tips or a summary of your daily schedule. Just as if you were using your home smart speaker. The device can also handle incoming and outgoing calls.
How to Install Amazon Echo Auto
The installation of Amazon Echo Auto is not very complicated. It connects to the car via the 12V outlet or USB port and connects to the stereo system with the 3.5mm audio jack. The last step involves connecting via Bluetooth between Amazon Echo Auto and the Alexa app on the smartphone.
For the device to execute our commands, it is necessary to keep the volume of the smartphone high: in fact, all inputs are through the Alexa app. For the Internet connection, the data plan of the user's SIM card is used.
Amazon Echo Auto's skills
The beating heart of Amazon Echo Auto are the skills developed by third parties that allow you to activate functions and listen to your favorite music or podcasts while you are traveling. A simple voice command is all it takes to start playing your favorite podcast chairs. Come ad esempio "Alexa, apri cento borghi", "Alexa, chiedi a cento borghi dove posso andare oggi" oppure "Alexa, trova in cento borghi un borgo vicino Roma".
Con questi comandi è possibile ascoltare “I 100 borghi del cuore“, il podcast realizzato da SiViaggia e che racconta la storia di 100 posti nascosti da visitare in Italia. Grazie alla skill realizzata da Italiaonline è possibile ascoltare una delle 100 storie raccontate da SiViaggia e chiedere ad Amazon Echo Auto di riprodurre le schede dei luoghi più vicini alla propria posizione.
È possibile abilitare la Skill direttamente pronunciando "Alexa, apri cento borghi". Alternatively, you can directly visit the Skill Store on Amazon's website by visiting the "100 Borghi del cuore di SiViaggia" page or via your smartphone's Alexa app within the "Skill and Games" section.
Amazon Echo Auto price and release date
Amazon Echo Auto is already available in Italy and can be purchased on Amazon for a price of €59.99.