CES 2020: Amazon Alexa arrives in cars

Would you pay $450K to have the Amazon Alexa in your car? What if a 2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO supercar was thrown into the bargain?

Yes, Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa has made her way into the new Lamborghini Huracan EVO, making the Italian supercar brand the first car-maker to introduce the cloud-based voice control service.

And she won’t just take care of music volume or climate control settings like those other primitive types. She’ll be able to integrate with connected household devices – so commands like “open the garage door” and “turn the porch light on” will work too.

More common questions like “Alexa, what’s the weather in Toorak like?” and “Alexa, find me the closest Bunnings store” will work too, not that you’ll be able to transport much in the way of DIY goods – although the hardware giant now does home delivery.

Lamborghini says the collaboration with Amazon is a strategic one, with both companies working to develop further connectivity innovations and integration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

“The Huracan EVO is an outstanding driver’s car, and connectivity enables our customers to focus on the driving, thus enhancing their Lamborghini experience,” said the brand’s chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

“Lamborghini is a future shaper, and this is the first time an automaker will deliver in-cabin car control through Amazon Alexa to bring together car controls as well as smart commands and Alexa’s standard capabilities.”

Unfortunately for Urus owners like Insta-famous Mrs Nassif, Alexa isn’t available yet in the red-blooded Latin brand’s first SUV. But it will surely follow, as will other car-makers.