Amazon Launches an Alexa Auto SDK

[DooKey]

Amazon has announced the release of their Alexa Auto SDK today and it's available on GitHub. It does all the things you're used to doing with Alexa in your home and will include additional features like navigation and search. Amazon currently works with a handful of companies to provide this in select autos, however, this release opens up the assistant to other companies that aren't partners. I imagine we'll hear Alexa in many different autos in the future.

The Alexa Auto SDK brings the Alexa experience that has delighted customers at home into the vehicle. It adds automotive-specific functionality and contextualizes the experience for the vehicle. It includes source code and function libraries in C++ and Java that enable your vehicle to process audio inputs and triggers, establish a connection with the Alexa service, and handle all Alexa interactions.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

Great. I'm sure it will show you ads as you drive down the road too.

 

[BSmith]

Show you ads? Ahem.....

Alexa: Bob, it is getting near lunch time,..there is a great Chick-fil-a just around the corner.
Bob: Alexa, I am busy at the moment.
Alexa: Bob, have you considered temporary help? There is a temp agency a mile from here.
Bob: Alexa, I do not need any help.
Alexa: What do you need Bob?
Bob: I need you to shut up and let me drive.
[long pause]
Alexa: Bob, maybe you are cranky because you have not had lunch yet?
Bob: Fine,..I'll eat...just leave me alone!
Alexa: Bob, your blood pressure is rising. There is a pharmacy just up the street.
Bob: [shuffles through glove box looking for his pistol]

Yeah, I am glad I am building my own car. The future of cars looks pretty damn bleak, if you like to drive.

 

[dvsman]

I bought one of these to dick around with a few weeks ago:

Anker ROAV

 

[vegeta535]

Show you ads? Ahem.....

Alexa: Bob, it is getting near lunch time,..there is a great Chick-fil-a just around the corner.
Bob: Alexa, I am busy at the moment.
Alexa: Bob, have you considered temporary help? There is a temp agency a mile from here.
Bob: Alexa, I do not need any help.
Alexa: What do you need Bob?
Bob: I need you to shut up and let me drive.
[long pause]
Alexa: Bob, maybe you are cranky because you have not had lunch yet?
Bob: Fine,..I'll eat...just leave me alone!
Alexa: Bob, your blood pressure is rising. There is a pharmacy just up the street.
Bob: [shuffles through glove box looking for his pistol]

Yeah, I am glad I am building my own car. The future of cars looks pretty damn bleak, if you like to drive.

I agree it is going to be insane in the near future. The genius part of it is that they get people to pay for it even.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Show you ads? Ahem.....

Alexa: Bob, it is getting near lunch time,..there is a great Chick-fil-a just around the corner.
Bob: Alexa, I am busy at the moment.
Alexa: Bob, have you considered temporary help? There is a temp agency a mile from here.
Bob: Alexa, I do not need any help.
Alexa: What do you need Bob?
Bob: I need you to shut up and let me drive.
[long pause]
Alexa: Bob, maybe you are cranky because you have not had lunch yet?
Bob: Fine,..I'll eat...just leave me alone!
Alexa: Bob, your blood pressure is rising. There is a pharmacy just up the street.
Bob: [shuffles through glove box looking for his pistol]

Yeah, I am glad I am building my own car. The future of cars looks pretty damn bleak, if you like to drive.

I think you forget that when you start to argue with Alexa she will just turn on autopilot and make you drive to Chic-fil-a to eat lunch.....since most cars are looking at adding in the auto drive features.

The you have to add "No Alexa, I don't want you to take over my driving...I like to drive."

 

[dvsman]

If you have unlimited data, the ROAV is actually kind of neat. I tie everything together via bluetooth (widget+car+phone) and now instead of using XM or MP3s, I can tell it to play EDM or Country or whatever and it'll pull music from Amazon music (since I'm a prime member) and basically have unlimited music - with the song info showing up on my car's display.

I can also control Google Maps (and other apps I would guess) using voice, though Android could probably do most of that as well ... but the Amazon ecosystem integration is definitely useful.