You never have to step into a hot car again!
One of the rituals of summer is getting into a hot car and blasting the A/C, trying to cool it down quickly so you can start driving and get where you need to go.
Or is it?
Many newer car models have companion Alexa skills, which let you do all kinds of things — like asking Alexa to start up your car and turn the A/C on!
Connecting to your car is easy.
- Open the Alexa app and tap More.
- Tap Skills & Games.
- Tap the magnifying glass in the upper right to search for your car manufacturer (Popular brands like Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota and many others have Alexa skills.)
- From there, set-up varies by manufacturer, but it typically just involves logging in with your account name and password. If you have issues, ask your dealer to help.
Once you’re set up you can use the feature in different ways…
“Alexa, ask Toyota to start my car” will get your car running—including A/C at your preset—before you get in.
“Alexa, ask Toyota if my car is locked” is super helpful when you’re going to sleep and suddenly worry that you didn’t lock the car.
“Alexa, ask Toyota how much gas is in my car” is great when planning your time needed to get somewhere.
Pro Tip: Different car models have different skills, so ask your dealer for a walk-through to make sure you’re not missing anything. You can also scroll through all of the skills listed under your car model.