Amazon and Hyundai have teamed up to pair Alexa with Genesis, adding smarts for more convenience when it comes to connected cars and connected homes.
Alexa is Amazon's increasingly popular digital assistant, which enables users to issue voice commands via their Amazon Echo speakers or Fire TV. The voice-controlled assistant just got even more interesting, as it can now boot up Hyundai's Genesis G80 and G90.
The new Alexa skill allows the digital assistant to perform some basic functions on the Genesis, such as start the engine remotely and fire up climate control, remotely lock or unlock the doors, or remotely control the horn and lights.
Hyundai Genesis G90 owners will receive an Amazon.com Gift Card to sweeten the deal, which they can put toward the purchase of an Amazon Echo. Moreover, Genesis vehicles come with three years of complimentary Genesis Connected Car Services.
With this new integration, Genesis becomes the first carmaker to launch an Alexa skill, allowing users to issue voice commands from inside their homes to remotely control their connected cars. While BMW already added Alexa integration to its BMW Connected app a while ago, Genesis is making things even more convenient by removing the app from the equation.
"With this innovative Alexa implementation, customers can now start their car, and get the heat going all just by asking Alexa from the comfort of their own home. We can't wait for our customers to try it out," says Steve Rabuchin, Amazon Alexa's vice president.
Erwin Raphael, the general manager of Genesis in the U.S. market, adds that the new Alexa skill integration proves the automaker's progress and commitment to delivering intuitive and customer-focused technology.
"It aligns with our belief that time and convenience are the ultimate luxuries," says Raphael.
To take advantage of the Amazon Alexa skill for Genesis, customers can use their voice to interact via an Alexa-enabled device such as the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Tap and Fire TV, together with Genesis Connected Services.
To send voice commands to Genesis via Alexa, customers will have to enable the Genesis skill in their Alexa app on their Fire tablet, iOS or Android device. Once that's set, users will have to link their Genesis Connected Services Account with the Alexa app. To transmit the voice commands to the Genesis car, Alexa will ask owners to input their PIN for their Genesis Connected Services, thus ensuring that it's all secure.
The catch is that owners need to be signed up for Genesis Connected Services to use the Alexa skill, and it's only free for the first three years of ownership. Once that period passes, owners will have to pay up to keep the service going.
