The recently launched Mahindra XUV700 will be India’s first vehicle to offer integrated Alexa AI, Amazon has said.
The Alexa in-vehicle experience is designed to be an extension of the Alexa experience at home. It provides additional automotive-specific functionality including car control, navigation, and third-party Alexa skills that are designed for on-the-go circumstances, such as finding parking.
XUV700 customers will be able to control various vehicle functions with Alexa including windows and cabin temperature, play music, listen to audiobooks, get directions, check traffic, manage their smart home, find parking, etc.
“Our vision is to bring Alexa to customers wherever they are – at home, at work, and on the go. We’re thrilled to work with the Mahindra Group and make Alexa a natural part of the in-car experience,” said Puneesh Kumar, Country Leader for Alexa, Amazon India.
Additionally, the XUV700 will also offer offline functionality for commands with Alexa including controlling the sunroof and windows, switching to a USB or Bluetooth-connected smartphone, and adjusting the climate setting.
When at home, they can use the custom Mahindra Skill for Alexa to manage vehicle information such as fuel level or tire pressure, and remotely give commands for locking or unlocking the car door, preparing the cabin temperature, etc.
“These custom voice-enabled features will be available across all Alexa supported devices such as Echo smart speakers, FireTV, and even the Alexa app on mobile phones,” Amazon said.
Mahindra XUV700 has leveraged the Alexa Auto Software Development Kit (SDK) for the experience which helps automakers smoothly integrate Alexa into their vehicles and build custom voice-first experiences for customers.
The Alexa Auto SDK will deliver new features and capabilities to XUV700 customers through ongoing over-the-air updates.
Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd said, “Our collaboration with a customer-obsessed leader such as Amazon comes from a single-minded focus to make our new XUV700 an SUV like no other. We are confident that this seamless integration will further enhance the ownership experience of our connected and tech-savvy customers of today.”
The XUV700 debuted on August 14.