Growing up in Canada, my favorite time of year was always when my family would pile into our wood-paneled station wagon and set off on our annual holiday road trip to visit my grandparents in Virginia. Now that I’m the one who does the driving, the prospect of hitting the highway is daunting, especially since I live in Los Angeles and must contend with some of the worst traffic conditions in the country anytime I get behind the wheel.
America’s Most Scenic Road Trips
Setting up the Echo Auto is a breeze. The device attaches to your car’s air vent using an included magnetic mount, which you’ll want to place far enough away that you won’t knock it off if you need to adjust something on your central console. Just plug it into your car’s USB port or 12-volt power adapter, turn on your stereo and set the input mode to Bluetooth to pair it with your phone, open the Alexa app and follow the one-time setup steps to add the device, and you’ve got access to all the same voice-activated capabilities you use with the Echo speakers in your home.
To buy: amazon.com, $15 (originally $50)
With eight microphones configured around the body of the device, the Echo Auto can detect your voice over the sound of the car engine, music, A/C vents, and any ambient road noise. Just like the other Echo devices, a light strip glows shades of blue to let you know when it’s listening and responding, or red when there is a connection issue. Speaking of listening, the microphones can be deactivated with the touch of a button, so you don’t have to worry about it recording your conversations… or the kids bickering in the back seat.
The drive-assist gadget uses third-party apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze to help you navigate your trip, so Alexa can tell you how to get to the Grand Canyon and teach you all about it while you’re on the way there. The latest version of the Echo Auto can even turn your phone into a “driver-friendly display” that includes touchscreen shortcuts to get directions to your favorite locations, place calls, or make announcements through the Alexa devices in your home.
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