[RustyBitz]

I have a hell of a lot of Echo and Alexa devices around the home and I can't wait for this feature to be integrated into BMW.

Alexa will be integrated into BMWs and selected Mini vehicles starting in mid-2018

- The integration uses microphones embedded into the car
- Alexa visual content will also be displayed on the head unit inside the vehicle

Drivers can use voice commands to use basic Alexa commands like asking for news and weather, in addition to third-party skills like Starbucks and Justeat.

Alexa will be available in all BMW vehicles for the 2018 model year, and mid-2017 Mini models in the US, Germany, and UK.

[robbiep]

As long as it's better than the current 'voice control', then it'll be a huge improvement.
Then again, having your nadgers eaten by a rabid ferret is better than the current system BMW use.

I've always been astonished with how bad the system is.
When I can say to my iPhone 4 "Hey Siri, dial xxxxxxxxxxxx ", and reel off a telephone number, and it gets it right every single time, just how BMW have been happy to send cars out with such dross on them in terms of software is extraordinary.

[RustyBitz]

Originally Posted by robbiep

As long as it's better than the current 'voice control', then it'll be a huge improvement.
Then again, having your nadgers eaten by a rabid ferret is better than the current system BMW use.

I've always been astonished with how bad the system is.
When I can say to my iPhone 4 "Hey Siri, dial xxxxxxxxxxxx ", and reel off a telephone number, and it gets it right every single time, just how BMW have been happy to send cars out with such dross on them in terms of software is extraordinary.

Total agree I have given up using the the current system is bloody awful. Using Echo for over a year I recon it would be perfect in the car even better than in the home maybe?

Keeping fingers crossed they can do a software update for existing cars to support Alexa.

[F30Andy]

I would feel very uncomfortable having this in my car.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

I would feel very uncomfortable having this in my car.

Or home. A constant-on, always listening, largely unregulated device which may process data outside of the EEA has no place in my private life.

Yes, I know that iPhones can allegedly be activated by GCHQ etc but Alexa is a consumer device from a shopping company.

No thanks.

[335dxdrive]

if g30 has this i will find the module and rip it out

government/cia/fbi not listening to me

[bodtwo]

It’s interesting you say that about Alexa etc, what are your concerns around privacy? That’s an open question by the way, these sorts of things are very personal, but I am intrigued as to how you feel an internet shopping company in cahoots with echelon etc is going to do you and yours evil?

If you want to be paranoid, go look up some of the Cambridge start ups linking facial recognition with peoples digital personas and then pattern mapping to two or three degrees of social networks to tag you. Especially when combined with the mass coverage cctv govt and personal based.

Reality is the government isn’t interested in what you say in the home, it’s interested in who you mix with and how you can be influenced. Hence said start ups getting snapped up by google, Facebook etc and then contracted into govt think tanks, campaign groups.

Back on topic, the current voice recognition is pants, it needs revisiting so bringing in Alexa type voice recognition makes sense. Given Bmw are German who are ultra paranoid on personal digital security it will be interesting to see how they address these sort of concerns.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

I would feel very uncomfortable having this in my car.

You've (probably) got social media accounts. You (probably) do shopping online. You put destinations into your satnav. You're monitored by CCTV (including your numberplate being monitored), most places you go. Your phone location is monitored - down to pretty close locations, even if you've got location services switched off.If you've got netflix, prime, et al, then amazon, etc know your shopping and viewing habits. You're on here, making your opinions known.

But the thing is, so are 4-5 billion other people.

I think you're not really got much to be worried about. Unless you take holidays to the Yemen or Syria, have loads of friends with middle-eastern names, and have an 'interesting' video viewing history, and go to plenty of sites with jihadist (or other equivalent) material on them.

And the really amusing thing : I've just brought you more to the attention of the security services, by using those words, than you've probably done in your life.