Amazon Echo Auto puts Alexa on your dash
The small dash-mounted device brings location-sensitive Alexa functionality to any car for just $50.
Amazon wants to give everyone the chance to bring Alexa into their car and it plans to do that with the Echo Auto.
The Echo Auto is a small device that sits on top of your dash that allows you to connect to your phone via Bluetooth, then to Amazon's cloud via your phone's cell signal to bring massive amounts of functionality to your car with its new real-time OS.
The Echo Auto device packs eight microphones into its small design to help with the noise canceling that is so necessary inside a car. The device is also location-aware and can use location-based triggers for Alexa Routines. As an example, Alexa can turn your home's smart lights on and unlock your smart door locks when you pull into your driveway.
It will also interface with Waze and Apple Maps to send directions to your phone. So, if you ask Alexa to find the nearest Starbucks, it will direct you to it and tell you how late it's open. During the presentation, Dave Limp, head of Alexa for Amazon, placed a call with the device, which is a particularly exciting option for owners of vehicles without hands-free calling capability. It will also interface with Apple Maps and Waze.
The Echo Auto includes a dash mount and will be offered at a special invite price of $25, with a standard price of just $50. It's slated to ship to invitees later this year.
