The new Alexa Custom Assistant launched by Amazon across the globe is creating ripples already. The aim of the ecommerce giant is to help the carmakers in developing in-car AI-based voice assistant without having to invest a huge amount of money. The Alexa Custom Assistant comes with all the features of Alexa voice assistant. Carmakers can easily incorporate unique features as well as brand-specific commands in the system.
What is Alexa Custom Assistant?
Alexa Custom Assistant is the customized version of Alexa voice assistant. There will be features like weather, local search, traffic and so on. But one the carmaker brand can customize the voice as well as come up with brand-unique commands. Amazon believes that the unique capabilities of the Amazon Custom Assistant will, for sure delight the customers.
The system comes with seamless integration with Alexa which means that the brand voice assistant will be able to collaborate with Alexa voice assistant so as to offer in-car services as well as apt connectivity with Alexa devices which are located out of the car.
The owner will be in the position of commanding both Alexa as well as the brand’s voice assistant.
In India, this is quite a new concept. Only a few carmakers are offering this connectivity function. We still do not have the full-blown in-car voice assistant in India. Rather we have the version which supports issuing of commands by using the Alexa app or Echo device, for various purposes like opening the windows, air-conditioning, starting the engine, checking the level of fuel and so on. Cars like the Jeep Compass facelift, the fifth-gen Honda City and the updated Mercedes GLC is offering the Alexa support.
How will it impact the carmakers?
The all-new Alexa Custom Assistant will allow the carmakers to come up with in-car voice assistants quite easily and conveniently. They need not develop a brand commanding system from scratch. It is going to be quite cost-effective and thus helps in bringing down the development expenses.
The first customer
According to Amazon, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles or FCA is the first-ever customer of Alexa Custom Assistant. But it has not been revealed officially that which model or brand of FCA is going to use this system.
