INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Software for Business
Panasonic announces new Alexa
integration for automobiles
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anasonic has announced that it is
working with Amazon to offer the next-
generation of in-vehicle infotainment
(IVI) systems with the Alexa voice service,
including certain capabilities natively
embedded. The integration will change the
experience OEMs can offer to in-car users,
allowing them to interact with the voice
service from the vehicle. Panasonic will deliver
an ‘Alexa experience’ optimised for in-car use,
with select Alexa capabilities available with no
Internet connection required. announced at CES 2017 and enables drivers
to use the familiar ‘Alexa’ wake word to
interact with the intelligent voice service for
a variety of in-vehicle functions such as car
controls like HVAC, media, communication
and navigation. As part of the integration,
Panasonic and Amazon are delivering the IVI
functionality using Amazon’s Alexa Onboard
technology, making certain Alexa capabilities
available as built-in services and giving in-car
users access to these Alexa features regardless
of network connection.
Panasonic and Amazon are accelerating the
ability for automakers to connect drivers to the
helpful capabilities of Alexa. Amazon’s Alexa
Onboard technology works with the Panasonic
Skip Generation (Skip Gen) IVI technology “When drivers have access to familiar Alexa
contextual commands and responses from
inside the car, it opens up a new world of
experiences OEMs can offer – enabling
some of these capabilities even without
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an Internet connection is revolutionary,”
said Tom Gebhardt, President, Panasonic
Corporation of North America. “The
Panasonic and Amazon initiative to deliver
auto makes this capability significant to
Panasonic’s commitment to lead in the
automotive industry and one that will
continue as we work with companies like
Amazon to transform IVI solutions.”
Alexa is a cloud-based voice service available
on Alexa-enabled devices like Amazon Echo
and more. The Alexa Onboard technology
integrated into Panasonic Skip Gen
technology will bring voice functionality
for in-car users and for the first time, offer
certain select Alexa capabilities without an
Internet connection. n
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