Love the idea of having a smart assistant in your car, well, Amazon has got you covered. The company has launched its new Amazon Echo Auto, a companion device to accompany you on your next commute. The device offers some unique features similar to the ones you find on smart infotainment systems, such as finding your daily dose of news, sports, recipes, shopping list, and music. The device plugs into your car’s 12-volt power outlet/ USB port and connects to your phone via a 3.5mm auxiliary cable or Bluetooth connection.
Despite the hoard of things, you can do with the device, it misses out on the basic one that is the Alexa-based voice-guided directions. So, at ₹ 4999, is this smart car accessory worth it? Well, let’s find out!
Design
The design is nothing extraordinary as it has a boxy design similar to the Amazon Firestick offered by the company. It measures in at 3.3×1.9×0.5 inches and weighs in around 45gm. It has an action button and a mute button on the top with a light bar to indicate the status of listening, which it does via an eight-microphone array present on top. The bottom surface has a clever square indent to mount it over the air vent using a magnetic fixture.
Processor and Technology
Powering the Echo Auto is a MediaTek MT7697 processor with Intel’s dual DSP Inference engine for better responsiveness. The Bluetooth connectivity comes with Hands-Free Profile (HFP) support for calling, and Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming, an Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice controlling media sessions, and a Serial Port Profile for Bluetooth connectivity.
Features
The 8-array microphone is specifically tuned using far-field technology to hear voice inputs over music, car engine sound, road noise and associated disturbances. The area where the Echo Auto shines is its wide echo system that lets you tune into music streaming services offered by Amazon Prime Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, and Apple music. You can just ask for the song or the artist and you are greeted to a high-fidelity sound that comes through your speakers.
We observed a very low latency between our voice input and the result provided by the Echo Auto. For people on a daily data limit plan such as us, please note the device data usage once you stream high-quality audio continuously. In our testing, we loved the idea of tuning in to our favourite audiobook or get a dose on the latest on goings of in the field of cricket right while driving. The only downside of the Amazon Echo Auto comes through its navigation support, which it missed on. You are better off with your standard navigation system via the Android Auto or Apple Carplay to find your destination.
The Echo Auto worked as advertised, the device has no trouble understanding our Indian English dialect. The requests were met with accurate results each time we asked for weather, news and cricket updates. The device stays connected to the smartphone’s internet connection most of the time which is a good sign to preclude latency issues. Locating a nearest restaurant or gas station comes in quickly but having to tap on the notification to get the directions were a bit distracting. Its compatibility to connect with IoT devices via the Alexa skills means we could remotely turn on our Philips Hue Office lights.
Conclusions
The Amazon Echo Auto is a unique product which best fits the users who don’t have a costly built-in infotainment system such as Android Auto or Apple Carplay. This modular device is a great companion for users who like to listen to their favourite music or podcast while on the go. The device is fairly responsive and looks great, making it a cool and must-have gadget for your pale looking car interior. Although we noticed some drop in connectivity, we highly recommend taking a look at this affordable product as their next smart vehicle accessory.
Note: The Amazon Echo Auto is compatible to use with a specific type of vents. The mount won’t work on circular shaped vents. Please visit the Amazon link to check vehicle compatibility.
