Amazon Echo Auto comment-what are the benefits of installing a smartphone in a car connected to a car stereo?
Amazon released "Amazon Echo Auto" (hereinafter referred to as Echo Auto), the first in-car device of the smart speaker "Echo" series on September 25, and went on sale on September 30. The price is 4980 yen including tax. The United States began to sell on an invitation basis in 2018, and finally officially sold in the Japanese market.
The author does not install a special car navigation plane in the car, and usually installs the smartphone on the car bracket, which is used as a voice assistant including car navigation. What are the benefits of using Echo Auto for such users? This time I would like to review it from this perspective.
Special equipment for vehicles using voice service "Alexa"
The Echo Auto is a dedicated car device that connects to the Internet through the "Alexa" app installed on the iOS/Android phone and uses the voice service "Alexa". All other Echo series connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi, but Echo Auto does not provide wireless LAN functionality.
The processor is equipped with "Mediatek MT7697" and "Intel Dual DSP with Inference Engine" to achieve high-precision speech recognition in an acoustically demanding environment. Memory, storage capacity, etc., will not be disclosed on the product website.
This product features 8 "array microphones". The array microphone is designed considering the sound characteristics of the car, and it can also successfully identify the voice of the user in the music of the car audio, the sound of air conditioning, the noise of driving and so on.
The main body size is 85 × 47 × 13.28 mm (width × depth × height) and the weight is 45g. There are action buttons and microphone on / off buttons at the top of the body, and power terminals (Micro USB) and 3.5mm audio output terminals on the right.
As a vehicle equipment, the heat resistance is of concern, but the working temperature is-20 ~ 55 degrees and the storage temperature is-40 ~ 85 degrees. According to the JAF user Test, when parking starts at 12:00 in 35 degrees for four hours, the dashboard reaches a maximum of 79 degrees. Although the Echo Auto should be able to withstand the specification, it is best to prepare for sunshade when parking for a long time in the hot sun.
Is the bracket suitable for the tuyere? The greatest difficulty set by Coco
It is not difficult to install Echo Auto. The Echo Auto air vent installation may not be suitable for the air supply, but in this case, you can secure it to the dashboard with double-sided tape.
By the way, in the author's "swimming", the central air outlet is not corresponding, but it is installed on the left and right air supply port. I'm worried about the length of the micro USB cable, but it's the same length as measured.
For software settings, if you are already using the Echo series, you do not need to enter an ID or password. From the device tab of the Echo application, click the + icon in the upper right corner, then select add device Amazon Echo Echo Auto, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
It is important to note that when you connect to the car stereo via Bluetooth, you can confirm in advance how to set the pairing. Combined with hardware and software settings, it takes about 10 minutes to complete the work.
How do you feel about actually using Echo Auto?
Echo Auto can be used as other Echo series, which is no different. With the exception of some Alexa skills, almost all the features of the Echo series can be used in the car, but on the other hand, it is not equipped with car-specific features. Even where the air conditioner wants to operate, the function of sound operation on the vehicle's own equipment is installed by the car manufacturer.
With regard to the accuracy of speech recognition, according to the mute of the car, when driving at a speed of 100 km per hour, it can be recognized without any problem while playing music while talking to Echo Auto at a normal volume. It is necessary to make a sound when opening all the windows at 60 km per hour, but I also try to realize it. It is precisely because it is equipped with eight array microphones, so I think it is indeed a very anti-noise microphone.
However, the author uses "iPhone11 Pro Max", but almost the same volume can be used as "Siri". The Echo Auto has better microphone performance than entry-level smartphones, but I don't think it's much different from flagship smartphones.
It's no problem using Echo Auto and mobile apps at the same time. This time I tried it with iPhone, even when playing Amazon Music music on Echo Auto, iPhone's Carnaby app "Yahoo!" The voice guide of the car navigator has never been interrupted. In addition, when playing Amazon Music music in Echo Auto, playing concerts on iPhone Apple Music switches automatically. Of course, you can also use Alexa and Siri alternately.
Besides smartphones, are there any benefits of installing Echo Auto?
The answer to the question "what are the benefits of installing Echo Auto on cars that connect smartphones to car audio?" depends on the voice assistants and smart speakers that are mainly used. If you are using "Siri" and "HomePod", "Google Assistant" and "Google Nest", then I think the benefits of introducing Echo Auto are minimal.
However, if you use the Echo series at home, it's a different matter. Whether it's iPhone or Android, the wake-up word for "Alexa" must start the "Alexa" application to use (Android can set "Amazon Alexa" for the helper, but cannot use the wake-up word). No matter which application you use on your smartphone, Echo Auto can use the wake-up word "Alexa", which is also worth introducing.