Mercedes-Benz has revealed all of its 2016 and 2017 vehicles in the US will be able to connect to either Amazon Echo or Google Home.
Voice-activated vehicles might be a staple of science fiction, but today the concept came a little closer to reality as Mercedes-Benz announced that its 2016 and 2017 vehicles in the US will be able to connect to either Amazon Echo or Google Home.
This means that Mercedes owners will be able to issue commands to either Google Home or Amazon Echo to control their vehicle remotely – for instance, drivers can now instruct their vehicle to start or lock through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, respectively.
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The link works both ways, of course, and through Mercedes Me – Mercedes-Benz’ in-car system – owners can link their car to their digital assistant and issue commands pertinent to their home from the comfort of their vehicle.
For instance, Mercedes demonstrated that drivers can toggle home profiles directly from their vehicles – turning off lights, thermostats, and other connected appliances while still on the road.
The connection will involve a level of integration, as Mercedes owners will need to have a Mercedes Me account, an active mbrace subscription, and, of course, a Google Home or Amazon Alexa unit or account to leverage the full power of the system.
Nils Schanz, head of Internet of Things and Wearable Integration for Mercedez-Benz North America, cited that “Mercedes-Benz’s goal is creating an intelligent ecosystem around cars and developing cutting-edge technology to make everyday life more convenient for our customers.”
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There’s no word on whether Mercedes-Benz plans to roll out support to other territories around the world, meaning that you still have some time to pick up either a Google Home or Amazon Echo unit and, of course, a Mercedes.
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Source: The Verge
