THE FUTURE EMPOWERED BY YOUR VOICE

Will consumers benefit from connected cars? Let's take a closer look at the reasons why, US Tech giant, Amazon Alexa is currently so successful.

Have you guys heard of Alexa? Well no, she isn't that cute girl you’ve been eyeing across the lecture hall or your obnoxiously chatty friend you try to tune out in class… Amazon Alexa is a voice-controlled Artificial Intelligence (AI), developed by Amazon Lab and was first used in the Amazon Echo Dot smart speakers.

If you’re familiar with the revolutionary concept of a Smart Home, then these smart speakers won’t come to you as a surprise. Its fundamentally a wireless speaker but capable of doing so much more! Call “Alexa” and you can instantaneously play music, browse the internet, make online purchases, create to-do-lists, control popular smart-home products, and the list is endless- all while having your smart phone sit in your pocket.

In 2017’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), there was heated competition amongst several established tech companies showcasing their inter-connected IoT innovations. Variations like smart hairbrushes and jeans were part of the show but still Amazon emerged the undeniable winner, despite being barely visible to its competitors.

According to Juniper Research, Amazon has already garnered a strong foothold across devices, given the number of sensors and connected IoT devices anticipated to hit 46 billion in 2021, up 200% from last year. (Kharpal, 2017)

With today’s population leaning towards a more time-saving and smart lifestyle, the implementation of such an operating system based on the Internet of Things (IoT) has attributed to endless possibilities and areas in innovation to further develop over the years. The omni-presence of Alexa gathered great response when the company announced its collaborations and integration with day-to-day tech gadgets and products, including Ford cars, Huawei’s Mate 9 smartphone and LG’s new refrigerator. The release of Amazon’s Alexa is the company’s attempt to becoming an operating system for the Internet of Things (IoT).

What I found most intriguing was the collaboration of Amazon's Alexa with Ford cars to make today's age enjoy a more comfortable and seamless lifestyle. Here are some of the new functions found in the 'Ford Sync' products:

Users will be able to connect to their Ford products through an Alexa app, on their mobile device which could easily be connected via bluetooth or a USB cable. This industry-first in-car capability through Ford SYNC 3 AppLink™ simply requires drivers push the voice recognition button on the steering wheel followed by either a command or question.

Using Alexa, Ford plug-in electric vehicle owners are able to control their vehicle from home using Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Amazon Tap. Just as simple as speaking to a friend, call "Alexa" to any of these devices and they can do any of the following functions and benefits:

1. “Home to car”

Users will be able to start and stop the engine, check range and charge status, lock and unlock doors, learn fuel level and acquire a vehicle mileage summary. Connected Cars allow the driver to reach a destination quickly, safely, and in a cost-efficient manner. By communicating with the traffic signals and the road infrastructure, a smart car can slow down before reaching a signal. It can even automatically stop and start the car just before the lights turn green. This feature translates to a greater fuel efficiency.

(Ford Media Center, 2017)

2. “Car to home”

It is a voice enabled feature that is connected to home functions- home security, turning on and off of lights, locking doors, etc.

3. “Car to cloud”

Users are able to access the web and enquire about the weather, ask for news, get navigation, or even create shopping lists, all while having two hands on the steering wheel. The advanced navigation system of your car can access your calendar to calculate the time it takes to get to your next meeting. Based on the real-time traffic and weather conditions, your car will recommend the best route to the destination.

This integration between Alexa and Ford vehicles targeted to increase user's convenience as well as preventing unnecessary distractions while driving. Hence, this voice controlling Artificial Intelligence (AI) function, was a value added feature to have in cars, especially for states like California and even in Singapore where the use of mobile devices while driving are completely banned. To conclude, IoT has definitely improved our lifestyles by increasing connectivity for greater convenience and accessibility on the go. Amazon Alexa is a great example of how the integration of our mobile devices and daily products such as cars, can come together to serve a greater use.

References:

- Kharpal, A. (2017). Amazon’s Alexa stole the show at CES in a bid to become the Internet of Things operating system. [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/06/ces-2017-amazon-alexa-stole-the-show-a-bid-to-become-the-iot-operating-system.html [Accessed 23 Aug. 2018].

- Ford Media Center. (2017). Alexa in the Car: Ford, Amazon to Provide Access to Shop, Search and Control Smart Home Features on the Road | Ford Media Center. [online] Available at: https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2017/01/04/alexa-car-ford-amazon-shop-search-home.html [Accessed 23 Aug. 2018].

- Forbes. (2016). How Will Consumers Benefit From Connected Cars?. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/janakirammsv/2016/06/06/how-will-consumers-benefit-from-connected-cars/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2018].