Alexa, charge my Skoda: Amazon to help power up Superb and Citigo EVs

Skoda has expanded the capabilities of its vehicles and added integration with Amazon Alexa voice assistant to help charge an electric vehicle or provide information about the amount of energy in batteries without the need for human-machine interaction.

If the car is connected to a charging terminal, then the built-in Skoda Connect service, after establishing a connection with the voice assistant, will be able to start or stop charging the batteries at the command from Amazon Alexa, as well as track the energy reserve and the range with the available charge.The command "Alexa, ask Skoda, I want to start charging my car" will help to activate the control.

As noted by the Czech automaker, in the new version of Skoda Connect, the voice assistant is able to communicate in English, French, German and Italian, warm up or cool down the car interior before driving, inform the owner if the doors and windows are closed, and provide data on the technical condition. models. All features, except battery charging, are available for the full Skoda lineup with Skoda Connect and an internet connection via a modem built into the car.

The voice control option for charging is still available only for two models - the electric CitiGo-e iV hatchback and the Superb iV hybrid liftback and station wagon, but later on, the hybrid models of the Octavia iV family, including the sports Octavia iV RS, will acquire similar capabilities.Also, the developers promise to ensure the integration of cars into the Google Home smart home control system.

Trip data such as distance travelled, average fuel consumption and speed and mileage can be accessed, as well as the last parking location. The voice assistant can also advise whether all the windows and doors are closed, the lights are off and the Skoda vehicle is locked.