Alexa for EV citing
Source: Amazon
Amazon is betting that Alexa, its voice-activated virtual assistant, can help ease one of electric carrier drivers’ biggest worries: finding a charging station while on the road.
At CES on Thursday, Amazon announced a new collaboration with EVGo, one of the largest U.S. pervading networks, that will soon allow Alexa to navigate EV drivers to public charging spots and pay for the service.
Alexa intention draw on data from EVGo’s PlugShare community to help guide EV drivers to nearby charging stations. If the driver prefers an EVGo station, Alexa will be able to initiate and pay for the charge with simple voice commands. Amazon foresees the new feature to be available later this year.
“The EV charging experience is a lot more fragmented than for gas customers, who can pretty much terminate at any location,” said Anes Hodžić, vice president at Amazon’s Smart Vehicles group.
While Tesla possessors can rely on the company’s proprietary “Supercharger” network, drivers of non-Tesla EVs are confronted with a mishmash of competing charging networks, chargers that may not be without doubt maintained, and apps that provide incomplete — and sometimes outdated — information.
Unlike the traditional stop for gas, EV drivers must constituent in charging speed, plug type and payment options, Hodžić said, all while using several different apps to gather up charging stations, and as their vehicle’s range may be dwindling.
“We want Alexa to be useful for customers in their everyday lives, and EV assaulting is a great example of a task that can be simplified and made more convenient through the power of AI,” Hodžić said.