Amazon Echo Auto is now available in the UK, bringing the retail giant's smart voice assistant into your car.
Echo Auto was initially announced back in September 2018 during an extremely busy Amazon launch event and was originally slated to go on sale the same year.
However, its launch date in the US was pushed back to 2019 and now, almost two years since the announcement, it's finally landed on British shores.
Echo Auto gives you hands-free access to Alexa's 70,000+ skills wherever you go, which means you'll be able to make calls, use your favorite streaming music services, listen to audiobooks, play games and manage your reminders all by using Alexa's voice commands.
There are eight microphones packed into the small, 85 x 47 x 13.28mm device, which Amazon says are capable of picking out your voice over road noise and the sound of your air-conditioning and fans.
It's inexpensive too, coming in at just under £50, but there are a few things you'll need to consider before picking one up.
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Echo Auto's specific requirements
It's not a completely independent device, as you'll need the Alexa app downloaded on your smartphone to set it up and for it to use the internet connection to drive the voice assistant, plus your car will need to support Bluetooth input or offer a 3.5mm headphone jack to allow the Echo Auto to connect to your vehicle's audio system.
The Echo Auto also needs to be powered, so you'll have to connect it to your car's 12v power outlet or USB port.
If your car already comes with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay support, you'll have access to Google's Assistant or Apple's Siri - so your need for Echo Auto would be minimal.
However, for older vehicles which lack smart features, the Amazon Echo Auto is a potentially inexpensive way to add high-tech functionality to your journeys.
The Amazon Echo Auto price is £49.99 and is available to buy at Amazon, Argos, Dixons and Very.
