VW ID.4 soon to be available for test drives with Alexa on board

Volkswagen of America and Amazon are cooperating on an innovative method of test-driving cars: the ID.4 SUV will explain and advertise its own features to its tester using the famous Amazon voice assistant, Alexa.

The new offer, called Test Drive With Alexa, will be launched in the United States later this fall. Potential buyers will be able to review the electric car in a dealership briefly before embarking on a 30-minute test drive guided by Alexa. The communication between the driver and the virtual assistant will be implemented through a device called Echo Auto, which comes integrated into the dashboard.

Drivers will be able to hit Alexa with all kinds of (on-topic) questions regarding the ID.4. The assistant will reply with detailed information about the battery, charging, automatic safety aids, infotainment system, prices of various features, active promos, maintenance procedures etc.