In this photo illustration, the Amazon Alexa logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen and Amazon logo in the background. (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Amazon and EVgo are partnering to enable voice-activated virtual assistant Alexa to help drivers locate electric vehicle charging stations. Drivers in Alexa-enabled vehicles will be able to ask for help navigating to the nearest station operated by EVgo and then pay for the charge through a voice-initiated transaction. The new in-vehicle functionality will be available later this year.
“We want Alexa to be useful for customers in their everyday lives, and EV charging is a great example of a task that can be simplified and made more convenient through the power of AI,” said Anes Hodžić, vice president of Amazon Smart Vehicles, in a statement. “By partnering with EVgo, we’re bringing Alexa’s AI and multi-modal experiences to improve the EV charging experience for drivers and streamline the process of locating, initiating and paying for a charging session.”
The software behind the feature is called PlugShare. It's essentially a comprehensive public map of EV charging infrastructure that will now be integrated with the Alexa app. The map encompasses 150,000 public charging stations, while EVgo itself operates 850 fast charging locations
“EVgo and Amazon’s shared principles of being customer-centric and committed to a sustainable future make innovative experiences like voice-initiated charging possible,” said Cathy Zoi, CEO at EVgo, in a press release.
The companies announced the partnership at the the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out Cheddar News' real-time coverage on Instagram and Twitter.
The EV market has risen up quickly and the country that leads the way is China. The country has seen company's like Xpeng emerge with their technological innovations as it tries to produce flying cars by 2024. Cheddar News was joined by Alexa St. John, Transportation Reporter at Insider to discuss all things EV market in China and if the United States can catch up.
A new report from the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate found that climate change misinformation on Facebook comes from just 10 accounts, including Breitbart News, Russia Today, and Media Research Center.
Avis stock surged more than 200 percent on October 2 after the company reported better-than-expected earnings. The move comes as Avis also looks to get involved in the EV industry and Elon Musk clouded the issue over Tesla's contract with Hertz. Joel Hawthorne, head trader and CEO of the Morning Snapshot, gave Cheddar his insight into what's happening for the rental car company on Wall Street.
John Freeman, VP of equity research at CFRA Research, joined Cheddar to break down factors weighing on video game publisher Activision Blizzard as it deals with the fallout from delayed releases and sexual harassment scandals. While not great for business, Freeman also questioned if the issues of the toxic corporate culture could have had an impact on title delays as well.
