Ford to integrate Amazon’s Alexa into vehicles later this year

Auto manufacturer, Ford said it is collaborating with Amazon to build Alexa into vehicles. The integrations will enable car owners to turn on their home lights or browse their music libraries from the comfort of their Fusions or F-150s or they can start their cars while inside their homes.

Alexa is an intelligent personal assistant developed by researchers at Amazon Lab126, made popular by the Echo. It is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do-lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic and other real time information.

According to Ford in a press release announcing the news, the Alexa integration will be the “most comprehensive ever in a vehicle”. Owners of some Ford vehicles will be able to use Alexa while at home to perform certain vehicle functions starting sometime around summer.

By simply asking “Alexa, ask my FordMobile to lock my car,” or “Alexa, ask my FordMobile to start my car,” owners of the Ford Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi will be able to use their Amazon Echo or Dot at home to lock or start their vehicles remotely. Alexa voice commands will also be able to tell an owner the range of the vehicle as well as check fuel level.

Ford said it will be using its Sync 3 infotainment head unit, which is already included in most Ford vehicles to effect the Alexa integration. The connection will rely on the driver’s smartphone and an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Tap in the home. Unlike using Alexa in the home, drivers will need to push a voice command button in the car to activate the personal assistant.

The development is in line with latest trends for increased connectivity in virtually everything. Smart connectivity is seen as the new frontier and it is being powered by the technology companies such as Amazon and Google.

To be sure, other auto companies have been working with Amazon in order to integrate Alexa in their vehicles. Earlier this year, Hyundai announced it would be integrating its cars with Alexa but its implementation will only let people ask the intelligent personal assistant to start up their cars or lock the doors from their living rooms.

The Alexa integration in Ford vehicles is currently in beta testing with Ford employees ahead of its planned wider rollout later in the year.

Ford also said it is turning its Sync-equipped vehicles into WiFi hotspots powered by AT&T’s 4G LTE network. This integration will allow passengers connect up to 10 devices to their vehicles.