AMAZON has made a startling alliance with German car-makers, via the satellite navigation and mapping provider HERE, that plans to integrate its house-bound Alexa service into cars.

Alexa is Amazon’s version of voice-activated assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

The partnership with HERE Technologies – which is owned by shareholders including BMW, Audi, Daimler and silicon-chip maker Intel – allows Amazon to stream Alexa from house to car, connect with the mobile phone, relay navigation instructions, select and play music, open the garage door, locate shops and thousands of other services.

Ultimately, the partnership with HERE will allow Amazon’s Alexa to expand from cars and homes into the road system and surroundings, connecting with traffic monitors and weather stations with the aim of then becoming the central data unit for autonomous vehicles.

The move comes at a time when analysts are predicting that customer-focused communications and mobility technology products will become the largest drivers of revenue in the forthcoming move to electric and autonomous vehicles.

It also opens up more opportunities for dealers to supply these connectivity systems as well as tutor new-car customers to use these systems.

Alexa has already been available in some markets through car-makers that have incorporated its technology in the production process. These include the BMW Group – BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce – which has an “open mobility cloud” that allows access to Alexa and also Google Home and similar services.

BMW’s involvement came after its research showed 73 per cent of motorists would change car brands to one that could offer maximum connectivity. BMW found that bringing the household convenience of services such as Alexa into the car would be seen as one reason to change.

HERE director of product marketing Alex Mangan said in a report from Forbes that partnering with HERE will make Alexa more “conversational”.

“Alexa will be more like a co-pilot,” Mr Mangan said.

“You can drop standard commands and talk to her more like you would your spouse in the passenger seat, asking for your next turn or talking grocery lists on the way home.”

HERE Technologies says its location data powers four out of five cars in the US and western Europe and over 100 million cars globally.

There are also more than 100 million Alexa-enabled devices in homes – plus potentially millions of similar systems from other manufacturers – and while Forbes said these two figures don’t add up to two separate customer bases of 100 million-plus combining into one massive market of instant adopters, it is likely to happen in the near future.

The plan is that cars will be available with Alexa already integrated with HERE navigation.

The compatibility – in varying degrees – currently covers brands including BMW Group, Ford, Hyundai, Genesis, Toyota and Lexus.

Other brands can use the services by using Amazon’s new Echo Auto, effectively Alexa but connected by Bluetooth through a mobile phone and the car’s speakers.

By Neil Dowling