Amazon introduces Auto Mode, a New Alexa Feature for the Vehicle

Amazon is introducing Auto Mode in the Alexa app. Auto Mode lets you see and do more with your Echo Auto and supported Alexa auto accessories by turning your phone into a smart, driver-friendly display that enhances Alexa’s in-vehicle voice experience. Auto Mode was designed to help you stay focused on the road with easy to read visuals, large touch targets and intuitive features and shortcuts for the most common Alexa interactions used in the vehicle like navigating to saved locations, placing calls to contacts and Alexa devices, and playing recent media. Auto Mode consists of four screens — Home, Navigation, Communication, and Play — and a persistent menu bar allows users to quickly switch between them.

Let’s take a closer look:

• Home Screen: The Auto Mode home screen is designed to provide one-touch access to your frequent actions, with shortcuts to play and pause your current music source, navigate to home or work, and to make a call. You can simply tap on the shortcut to initiate the action or ask Alexa, for example, “Alexa, continue playing my music.”
• Navigate: The Navigate screen provides one-click access to your favourite locations stored in the Alexa app. Choosing a destination will open your preferred navigation app and begin guidance. You can switch back to the Alexa app using only your voice by simply asking, “Alexa, go back to the Alexa app.” You can also ask Alexa to help you find someplace new, for example, “Alexa, find nearby coffee shops.” As Alexa reads back the responses, Auto Mode displays a simplified list showing only the most relevant information, allowing you to either use your voice to make a selection or simply touch on it to begin navigation.
• Communicate: The Communicate screen allows you to easily place a call, Drop-In, or make an announcement to your Alexa devices. You can ask Alexa to initiate the action or touch your selection, and Auto Mode will provide an easy to read list of recently placed calls and devices. If you want to drop in on your family to let them know you are headed home, you can say “Alexa, Drop-In on my Kitchen Echo Show,” or simply tap on the screen and Alexa will do the rest.
• Play: The Play screen shows the most recent media played using any Alexa device and a convenient button to play or pause, along with a list of most recently played media. Selecting any of the items in the list starts playing the media and brings up the Now Playing screen, which provides additional controls specific to the type of media being played and the service used. You can stay entertained while on-the-go just by asking Alexa or using Auto Mode’s shortcuts and easy touch controls.

Auto Mode is rolling out to Android and iOS in the coming weeks and will be available in Ireland.

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