Select Audi Cars to Receive Amazon Alexa Support in 2019

• Audi announced its partnership with Amazon Alexa today.
• The E-Tron electric SUV will be the first in line to receive support for Amazon’s smart assistant.
• The rollout is expected to begin in January 2019.

Audi is now the first major car manufacturer to join BMW and Toyota in bringing support for Amazon Alexa voice control to its upcoming cars. The voice assistant will be included in select models in North America and Europe next year.

Audi announced the partnership during the E-Tron electric SUV reveal earlier today. Amazon Alexa will be part of the E-Tron as well as other cars that are set for launch in 2019. Users will not need to dock phones to get access to the smart assistant as Alexa will be built into the infotainment systems directly.

Audi users will be able to activate the voice assistant by linking an Amazon account using the infotainment system. Alexa will be able to play music, read audiobooks, set reminders and so much more without requiring you to turn your attention away from driving. Some navigation-specific features are also being added according to VP of Alexa Auto Ned Curic. Users can ask Alexa to recommend points of interest based on GPS data and also control other smart devices connected to the infotainment system.

Curic revealed “Our vision is to bring Alexa to customers wherever they are -- at home, at work, and on the go," he said. "With Alexa built directly into the vehicle, customers can ask Alexa to play music, locate points of interest, control smart home devices, and access thousands of Alexa skills, and we're excited to work with a brand like Audi to bring that experience to the all-new Audi e-tron and additional models in its vehicle lineup."

Alexa being built into cars can allow users to not only use all of the smart assistant’s features but also build their own Alexa Skills or choose from thousands of blueprints available online to add to the smart assistant. With Audi already integrating many Amazon services like Amazon Music, the partnership likely happened after the Alexa Auto development kit which was announced earlier this year. It is likely that more cars from other manufacturers will offer Alexa support in the future.

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