German automaker BMW has announced the use of Amazon Alexa technology to develop its next-generation voice assistant. The automaker announced its plans during Amazon’s devices launch event late on Wednesday.
BMW started offering Alexa assistant in select cars in 2018. This time, the company is going to utilise the technology to build its own digital assistant.
“This cooperation with BMW is a great example of what Alexa Custom Assistant was designed to make it faster and easier for companies to develop custom intelligent assistants for virtually any device, without the cost and complexity of building from the ground up,” said Dave Limp, senior VP of devices and services at Amazon.
Stephan Durach, senior VP of the connected company and development technical operations at BMW Group, said this move will bring digital experience to a new level. Amazon is now trying to capture more market share within the automotive industry with its devices.
The company introduced the next generation of Echo Dot and Echo Auto, giving people to bring the convenience of Alexa to every room of their home and into their car. Echo Auto comes in a new, slimmer design and includes a new adhesive mount for more placement flexibility in your car. The device is built with five microphones designed to hear your requests over music, the air conditioner and road noise.