The onward march of artificial intelligence into the daily lives of humans took another step this week, as Garmin announced a partnership with Amazon to install the popular “Alexa” into on-board infotainment systems the technology company develops for major auto manufacturers.
“Garmin is honored to be the first Tier 1 auto OEM supplier to integrate Alexa Custom Assistant capabilities into in-vehicle infotainment and navigation systems,” said Matt Munn, Garmin Auto OEM managing director. “This collaboration allows Garmin’s voice solutions team to provide leading automakers with a custom intelligent assistant using Amazon’s industry-leading AI technology. Garmin has collaborated with Amazon on several projects, and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship.”
Beyond the simple “cool” factor of being able to speak with their automobile, the integration of Alexa into the car means that drivers can ask questions about vehicle issues. For example, Alexa can be asked to check on the tire pressure or when the next oil change is due.
For vehicle-specific questions, the system is designed for Alexa to turn the query over to “Brandon,” which is an intelligence assistant created by and for branded device makers and service providers. Brandon immediately joins the conversation at Alexa’s request in these situations. For other general interest questions, Alexa remains the primary resource.
“Our collaboration with Garmin marks an important milestone as we scale global access to Alexa Custom Assistant,” said Ned Curic, vice president of Alexa Automotive. “Garmin deeply understands the unique challenges and opportunities that automakers face as they develop and integrate the next generation of connected digital cabins, and we’re excited to extend our collaboration to deliver bespoke, best-in-class customer experiences without the investment, long development cycles and resources required to build it from scratch and maintain over time.”
