What you need to know
- Amazon announced a software update that will bring Alexa to thousands of Jaguar Land Rover models.
- The digital assistant will be rolled out in over 200,000 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles running Pivi Pro 3.0 or later.
- Alexa will be available to car owners at no additional cost, though a paid subscription is required.
Last year, Amazon revealed its intention to invade your garage by giving automakers access to artificial intelligence system underlying its Alexa digital assistant, starting with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Called Alexa Custom Assistant, that solution allows car manufacturers to build custom voice experiences for customers.
Alexa is now coming to more dashboards courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover. The British automotive giant announced this week that Amazon's digital assistant will be available in more than 200,000 Jaguar Land Rover models.
The system will be available on both older and newer models that have Pivi Pro 3.0 or a later version of the infotainment system. It will be delivered via over-the-air update, which eliminates the need for car owners to bring their units to a retailer, unlike other vehicle brands.
Customers will receive the update free of charge, according to Jaguar Land Rover, though the fine print of its announcement states that a 12-month subscription to its paid Online Pack service is required. Some vehicle owners may also need to visit their dealers because existing vehicles require multiple updates before receiving the most recent version of Pivi Pro.
To activate Alexa, simply scan a QR code on the Pivi Pro screen. This connects Alexa to your InControl account. After that, you can start giving voice commands to Alexa for tasks such as navigation, media playback, phone calls and weather updates.
Customers of Jaguar and Land Rover can also use Land Rover Remote Skill and any of the best Alexa devices to check the range of their vehicle, see if it is fully charged, or remotely start the climate control system.
The integration marks Amazon's growing effort in the auto segment as Google steps up its focus on vehicles with Android Automotive.
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