Could people be asking Alexa to take them to a Blue Ribbon shop after they’ve been in a car accident? One can only speculate after Nationwide announced it will be giving away one million Echo Auto devices to qualifying Nationwide new and existing auto insurance policyholders in select states.
With Amazon Echo devices, you can ask “Alexa” to get access to information, listen to your favorite music or hear the local weather. With Echo Auto, people can now get such information in their cars, too.
“Voice services like Alexa will continue to impact our lives,” said Terrance Williams, president of the Emerging Businesses Group and chief marketing officer of Nationwide. “Nationwide wants to leverage this technology to meet our members’ needs in new and unique ways.”
Nationwide will also be introducing three new features to its skill for Alexa:
- New Driver Checklist: Provides a safety checklist to help drivers learn safe driving habits
- Nationwide’s Roadside Assistance: Nationwide members can call Nationwide Roadside Assistance for help.
- Road Conditions: Quickly check weather and road conditions before heading out.
- Nationwide members can also access their Nationwide SmartRide information through Echo Auto and use the device to find a local insurance agent.
“We believe that voice is the most natural way of interacting with technology – and there’s no place where voice can be more effective than the car,” said Miriam Daniel, vice president of Alexa and Echo Devices, Amazon. “As we designed Echo Auto, we thought a lot about the unique on-the-go experiences that our customers would want and worked closely with Nationwide and others to create new skills purposely built for the vehicle. We’re excited for Nationwide members to experience Echo Auto – now they’ll be able to just ask Alexa for their favorite Audible book, to hear the morning news, set a reminder to pick up groceries on the way home and so much more.”
The free Echo Auto promotion began Sept. 25 and continues while supplies last.
