Amazon Echo Auto is the easiest way to give your car all the advantages of a voice assistant, in particular Alexa. Now you can use the Amazon proposal in your car and not only on smart home speakers. This is all you need to know about him and how you can take advantage of him.
What is Amazon Echo Auto
Amazon Echo Auto is not really a new product. His presentation was a little over a year ago, but it is now when he arrives in Spain and it is what really matters. Because until then, one of the few options to enjoy Alexa in the car was to buy one of the models that already included it as standard .
However, let’s see what really interests us, what exactly is the Echo Auto . Well, as you can see from the images, it is a small device designed to be used in the car and that offers the possibility of having Alexa and all that it implies.
At the design level, the Echo Auto is very similar to the Echo Input. That is, it does not include some speakers because for that there are already those of the car’s sound system, which are the ones that it will actually use. What it does incorporate is a total of eight microphones for voice capture .
This set of microphones with long-range technology are prepared to perfectly identify the voice even when music is playing at high volume or there are noises caused by other elements such as the air conditioning or the wheels of the vehicle when it is in motion.
Regarding the size it is rather small. Barely 9 centimeters long and 5 wide is what this Echo Auto occupies. With a rectangular design, at the top there are only two buttons. One of them to activate or deactivate the microphones and the other to start or stop Alexa. Finally, on one of its sides are the USB C connections and the audio output . That’s how simple this Echo Auto is.
How the Echo Auto connects to the car
Connecting the Echo Auto to the car is very simple . Possibly that is one of its main attractions since it does not require any type of complex or internal installation. Just do three simple steps:
- Connect the Echo Auto to the radio’s USB port or car power adapter to power it
- Download the Alexa app on your smartphone to start the configuration
- Select the Bluetooth connection or auxiliary audio port of your car radio to connect the Echo Auto
Done, you would have everything ready and you would be ready to start using the Echo Auto. And if you have been surprised by the need to use your smartphone , we explain the reasons. The first is because you need to associate your Amazon account and for this, as with the speakers, you have to use the app for iOS and Android. The second, Echo Auto will use the data on your phone to connect to the internet and access the different services and options it offers.
How to take advantage of Echo Auto
Now that you know the product, you are probably wondering how you can take advantage of it in the car. Well, this will depend a lot on the type of user you are, how you use your car regularly, how long and what other devices you may have at home. So, here are some examples to get the most out of the Echo Auto.
The first and logical is as a hands-free system. By being able to use voice commands to interact you will not have to let go of the steering wheel when putting on music or performing other actions. Because it will be enough to say “Alexa, put music” and it will start to rub those songs and even podcasts that interest you through the radio in your car.
This may not be very striking, because it could be more or less what you would already have with the use of Android devices paired to your car. So let’s keep moving forward.
Another interesting use is to take advantage of the advantages that Alexa offers when integrating the assistant with other devices and services thanks to its skills . In this way, to serve as inspiration, you could not only connect with different services, but also with all those connected devices that you may have at home.
The only thing you will need is an Echo in your home to be able to tell it to turn on the lights before you get home or to check if you left one on. Also to turn on the air conditioning, etc.
You could use Echo Auto to call other users or connect to other speakers of yours through the Drop-in function. So you can tell your family that you are already coming home or that you forgot anything when you left. Think of possibilities and you will see how many you can think of.
In addition, being integrated with your Amazon account, you can make purchases to know if an order has arrived or not, add tasks to your lists, reminders, etc … everything you would do with your Amazon speaker at home or with the app of the smartphone, but from your car.
Amazon Echo Auto, compatibility
Anyway, before launching for your Echo Auto it is important that you check the compatibility . As we said before, the requirements are really minimal and most will be able to benefit from it. But to be sure that there is no incompatibility with the radio system, these are the unsupported cars according to Amazon:
- Audi A3 (2003 – 2013)
- BMW 3 Series (2004 – 2013)
- Chevrolet Equinox (2010 – 2017)
- Chevrolet Malibu (2013+)
- Chevrolet Volt (2010+)
- Chrysler Voyager (2008+)
- Fiat 500 (2007+)
- Fiat Punto (2005 – 2018)
- Ford Fiesta (2008-2019)
- Honda Accord (2013 – 2017)
- Honda Civic (2011-2015)
- Honda CRV (2011 – 2016)
- Honda HR-V (2015+)
- Honda Jazz (2001+)
- Honda Odyssey (2013+)
- Infiniti Q60 (2017+)
- Infiniti QX60 (2013+)
- Jeep Wrangler (2007+)
- Mazda 3 (2008 – 2013)
- Mazda CX9 (2006 – 2015)
- Mercedes C200 (2014+)
- Nissan Qashqai (2007+)
- Nissan LEAF (2017+)
- Opel Corsa (2014 – 2019)
- Seat Mii (2011+)
- Skoda Citigo (2011+)
- Toyota Camry (2011 – 2019)
- Toyota Corolla (2012 – 2018)
- Toyota RAV4 (2012 – 2018)
- Toyota Prius (2015+)
- Volkswagen Polo (2009+)
- Volkswagen Up! (2011+)
The compatibility problem of these models is really the Bluetooth connection or auxiliary connection. If they do not offer any of them you will not be able to connect the Echo Auto. So in case of not being able and wanting, the solution is to make use of different devices that allow adding a Bluetooth transmitter through the FM radio signal, adapters with an external audio connection through the cassette player, etc. Anyway, it is likely that most current cars no longer have any connection problems.
Regarding mobile devices, to use Echo Auto it is necessary to connect to your smartphone to share data. So if your terminal does not support this option, it generates a conflict, you will not be able to use it. Here is the complete list of phones compatible with Echi Auto .
Amazon Echo Auto, price and availability
As you can see, the Echo Auto is a more interesting product than it might seem a priori. It is not a simple microphone to use your smartphone, it is Alexa in the car in a simple and inexpensive way to install. Much more than, for example, changing the radio completely. Amazon Echo Auto is priced at 59 euros .
