Mercedes Launches Alexa Car Start Service

Alexa allows you to use a number of in-vehicle functions from inside your house.

Alexa, start my gorgeous, breathtaking Mercedes-AMG GT S.

Yep, an idea that once seemed like some faraway fantasy plucked right out of a sci-fi flick is now being offered by Mercedes-Benz.

The service follows a growing trend being adopted by other car companies. It enables owners of 2016 and 2017 Mercedes models to use Google Home or Amazon Echo to start their vehicles from the comfort of home.

Of course, a GT S owner won’t necessarily have to provide details such as “gorgeous” and “breathtaking.” That is, unless they’re lucky enough to have a fleet of Mercedes cars and need to be more specific.

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The new service will also allow U.S. customers to send navigation directions to their cars using Alexa. The goal is to offer customers a range of services 24/7, even when consumers aren’t in their vehicles.

“Mercedes-Benz’s goal is creating an intelligent ecosystem around cars, and developing cutting-edge technology to make everyday life more convenient for our customers,” said Nils Schanz, head of the Mercedes’ Internet of Things and Wearable Integration company.

To use the service, consumers need to own a Google Home or Amazon Echo home device. Then they just need to set up a “Mercedes me” account and subscribe to MB’s connected car service, “mbrace.”

Could be us, but it sounds like Alexa is quickly evolving into the ultimate road-dog.

Via [Fortune]