Jaguar Land Rover brings ‘Alexa’ voice assist to Australia

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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will introduce Amazon Alexa technology in all its current vehicles, while also making the tech upgrade available to existing owners of Pivi Pro-equipped vehicles. 

Alexa is a voice assistant that you can ask to perform tasks like selecting your favourite album, making phone calls, navigating to an address, or finding specific restaurants nearby.

Amazon Alexa services are already used by carmakers such as BMW, Audi and Lexus in North America, though Jaguar and Land Rover will be the first brands to offer this technology in the Australian market. 

JLR products already feature voice-assist technology, but Alexa’s functionality should prove more sophisticated as it uses artificial intelligence and machine learning from not only car users, but also those with Alexa technology in their homes. 

If you’re already an Amazon Alexa user then your favourite music, audiobooks and navigation locations will seamlessly integrate into the driving experience of your Jaguar or Land Rover. 

Head of Alexa Automotive International, Christian Mentz said of the technology “customers around the world interact with Alexa billions of times each week, making life easier, more productive, and more fun.”

The addition of Alexa to Jaguar and Land Rover products comes as a raft of tech companies are integrating software into cars. For example, the Apple CarKey that has been available on BMWs since early 2020 has recently been introduced to Korean luxury brand Genesis. 

How can I get Alexa in my Jaguar or Land Rover?

Alexa functionality isn’t exclusive to new purchases, with 1300 Jaguars and 6100 Land Rovers on the road featuring JLR’s latest Pivi Pro system that is compatible with Alexa voice assist technology. 

Current owners with the required operating system will be prompted to update their vehicles when the technology becomes available.

Models with the available Pivi Pro infotainment system include the Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV and XE midsize sedan, the Land Rover Discovery large SUV, Defender off-roader and new-generation L460 Range Rover.

For those who still want Alexa in their car but don’t have a compatible vehicle, Amazon sells the Echo Auto device separately, which connects via bluetooth or an auxiliary cord.