Report an issue with this product or seller
Update: 1 year later:
I use it all the time and am still fan. But, I've discovered some annoyances, most which are not a big deal or have work-arounds.
Spotify problems. It can be a little buggy with Spotify (and Android). For some reason, I have to manually launch and close the Spotify app, on my phone. Which, of course, defeats the hands-free value of Echo.
Voice recognition in texts. If I am texting common words, it's fine. But unusual words can be almost impossible.
Bluetooth connectivity. There are times it won't connect automatically. Manually launching the Alexa app on my phone usually works. This might happen once a week but, occasionally, I have to restart my phone. I can only guess if this is the Echo's fault or my phone
Navigation. I never use the navigation. It's too hard finding addresses with voice commands and I have a regular GPS unit, which works much better.
These are pretty minor and I still like this product for all the reasons I said below. Much safer than using your phone!
--------------
Hands free Internet is convenient for your house -- but a potential lifesaver for your car.
Some reviewers say Echo Auto is a poor concept -- I could not disagree more. It's a great concept!
A device with no screen at all, keeps your eyes on the road. I mostly use my Alex for streaming radio and podcasts - which I like in the car even more than at home. Plus, I can pick-up in the car where I left-off at home.
If you use Echo at home and you drive -- this is a no brainier. Just buy it.
Now the specifics:
The Same:
It is almost the same as your home Echo -- so no need to review those features. Read one of the 20,000 other reviews.
Navigation
The main addition to the home Echo is navigation, which works as well as my Garmen GPS. Sometimes it can be hard to voice-search for a place, if there are multiple branches or if many places have similar-sounding names. I doubt that this is a unique problem with the Echo.
Voice:
I use the Echo Auto's calling and texting feature much more than my home phone and I think it's great. It uses the address book on your phone. I revised my phonebook, a little, so that it worked more efficiently with Echo. (like adding full names to the three Logans I know.) The voice dialer works great.
Texting:
When texting is strictly voice, it seems safe to do -- maybe even safer than talking on the phone. The texts are sent with a link to the voice file, so the receiver can listen if the voice recognition seems off. This can look odd to your friends, the first time they receive a text.
Connection to your phone:
This is the only hassle I have. Sometimes it connects automatically (via Bluetooth) and sometimes not (maybe 20% of the time). So, before I leave my driveway, I now ask Alexa what times it is. If it works, I go. Otherwise, I have to dig out my phone and launch the Alexa app. (which almost always fixes it.)
Connection to audio:
I connect the Echo Auto with an AUX patch cord to my car radio. This works flawless. I drive a noisy convertible and sometimes the volume is a little low, even on max. Some streaming services are lower than others. The audio quality is great.
Data usage:
I use a prepaid phone and was concerned that the data would be expensive -- I needn't have worried. I stream audio almost everyday and it's hardly made a dent in my data usage. It's nothing like streaming video.
Bottom line:
If you use Echo home and you drive -- just buy it.
Just ask Alexa to play music, continue your Audible audiobook, check your calendar, find nearby businesses, or make calls. With 8 microphones, Echo Auto even hears you over road noise. Echo Auto starts up in seconds, works through your car speakers, and uses your existing smartphone plan.
|
Echo Auto connects to Alexa through your phone's Alexa app and plays through your car's speakers via auxiliary input or your smartphone's Bluetooth connection. Echo Auto also works with Auto Mode in the Alexa app, which turns your phone into a smart, driver-friendly display optimized for use in the vehicle. Large glanceable text, easy-touch controls, and shortcuts for your favorite destinations, contacts, and media to make it easier to navigate, stay connected, and entertained while you drive. Phone holder or mount is not included with Echo Auto. |
|
|
|
|
Update to-do lists, set reminders, or check calendars while your eyes stay on the road. Just ask for directions and Alexa connects to supported apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze on your phone. Alexa can even help you make calls, Share your ETA with compatible Echo devices at home, or Drop In to say that you’re on your way.
With tens of thousands of skills and counting, Alexa is always getting smarter. Skills are like apps and let you play roadtrip games like HeadsUp!, find the cheapest gas with GasBuddy, get help parking with ParkWhiz or ParkBob, or even get roadside assistance with Nationwide or Urgent.ly.
Customers say
Customers praise the Echo Auto's music playback capabilities, being able to listen to any music and play their playlists, and appreciate its hands-free driving features. The device's functionality and sound quality receive mixed feedback - while some find it fantastic with excellent sound, others report connectivity issues and difficulty hearing. Setup experiences vary from very easy to extremely difficult, and opinions on value are divided between those who find it worth the price and those who consider it not worth it. The device's reliability is also mixed, with some reporting it works great while others find it buggy.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Select to learn more
3521 customers mention functionality, 2592 positive, 929 negative
This is a great product love streaming music of my choice from amazon , getting rid of sirus radio, turn on lights and devices will i am on the road...Read more
Great device I have (4) of the Echo auto's one in each of my cars, traffic, music, bio's , audio books, trivia games and more, absolutely a must for...Read more
Useless! If you do not have a phone signal, this device is useless. If you do, you better have an unlimited plan or the overcharges will bury you.Read more
Good product, just sucks if something else says Alexa its stops doing what it origanally was doing. The sound isnt controlled by my car but my phone....Read more
1711 customers mention music playback, 1386 positive, 325 negative
...for the most part this is great .Alexa tells you jokes ,reads books ,play music , and so much more I got 1 for my wife and she takes it to every car...Read more
...I mainly use it for music and calls, it's great for music but for some reason it will sync with my car for calls and other times it will not...no...Read more
...up in Waze automatically, I can send text messages by voice, listen to music (I have the unlimited package, finally talk/ad free music), It is great...Read more
...Can call people, playa music, notifies you when someone has texted. Plays music, reads books. One of the best thing I bought. Posh to the naysayers.Read more
1558 customers mention hands-free, 1427 positive, 131 negative
The directions when traveling are great. It is truly hands free. You don't have to look at a screen to get an answer, it reads the answer to you....Read more
...All hands free. Yes I do have Google assistant on my phone. But with the road noise and the truck noise. Google rarely hears me even yelling at it....Read more
Works great for music streaming and hands free calling. Only real issue is driving with the windows down she can’t hear me well. But that’s expected.Read more
...play music from the Amazon Music Store, order items from Amazon, make phone calls, just basically whatever you ask Alexa to do besides drive your car...Read more
7554 customers mention reliability, 4302 positive, 3252 negative
Works great depending on your cell phone signal. Has features I wish the Echo devices in my home had. Such as notifications for text and talk to text.Read more
Even though it is blue toothed through my phone many times it does not work. I am disappointed in it as the Alexa Echo's I have at home I love....Read more
This little device is clever and works well. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the having wires running here and there is a little clunky....Read more
...Love my Echo devices at home. This device is pure crap. Doesn’t work and do the things they say despite many attempts to reinstall.Read more
2266 customers mention sound quality, 1326 positive, 940 negative
...I easily make phone calls just by simply talking to Alexa. The sound quality for the person you are calling is great too, I’ve had other Bluetooth...Read more
...It says it is, but no sound. Logged at least ,3 hours with tech support to resolve this issue and calling issue. As of the changing calling feature....Read more
...The sound quality is great, when it connects. I like the ability to change songs with my voice, not having to touch the stereo in the car is a plus.Read more
...The only, and very minor downside, is that the road noise, air conditioning, and music already playing can interfere with Alexa picking up on new...Read more
2151 customers mention setup, 1500 positive, 651 negative
At first the Alexa was easy to set up and use in the car, but once you turn the car off and the device, etc, until the next use ...it’s almost as if...Read more
...It was an easy setup (once I got a unit that didn't self destruct). My phone (Samsung s9) had already been paired with my Eonon head unit in my VW....Read more
Difficult to set up. Needed a lot of tech assistance and they learned of some major bugs in the system. Hope they work them out. We do not use ours.Read more
Easy set up! ( make sure you have your Alexa app open for use) I love that I can get locations and everything else right at the sound of “ Alexa !”Read more
1928 customers mention value for money, 904 positive, 1024 negative
...I love my dot. This...you should pass. Even paying $30, it was a waste of money and adds frustration to my commute instead of making life easier.Read more
...add grocery or to do items to my Alexa lists while I'm driving is worth the money. I'm always in the car when i think of things to add....Read more
...Overall, not worth it. More frustrating than useful. Wait for Amazon to make a new one rather than continually discounting their stale inventoryRead more
I got the echo dot for a great price it took me awhile to figure out how to work it, and it came with a 3 month free trial for Premium Amazon Music....Read more
5575 customers mention connectivity, 1138 positive, 4437 negative
Has a lot of connection issues and often won’t connect or in middle of music it disconnects and takes forever for it to connect most times I give up...Read more
...(once early on, when my wife drove the car, it caused some connectivity issues that took some effort to resolve, but she has now connected her phone...Read more
...is too loud and you say alexa ... it cannot hear you at all , loses connection when everything is already plugged up and ready to go but just leaves...Read more
...It was easy to connect ,easy to install ,you just have to think about where you want it in your car and I personally didn't bother with the vent...Read more
Installation a headscratcher with a SYNC 1 2014 Ford Focus SE, but works, now as expected.
Soooo.... I finally installed the Echo Auto... It was not seamless, the install kept hanging up until I rebooted my iPhone, and then it took just a few seconds. Also, I'm using it in my 2014 Ford Focus SE Sport edition which does not have Sync 3, but only has Sync. So it cannot play over bluetooth. I first plugged the Echo into the USB port that I use with my old iPhone, but apparently it's only a power connection on the Echo Auto I plugged in the Echo to the cigarette lighter and the AUX, using the 3.5 mm jack in the glovebox, and it initially worked, but then would cease working. I received a notice the bluetooth phone connection with SYNC was interfering with the phone connecting with the Echo. So the solution is to disconnect the bluetooth from the SYNC. After that everything worked perfectly. Then, I plugged the USB to the USB USB port in the glovebox, and it all worked perfectly again. The bluetooth connection to SYNC is redundant anyway, as I can make voice calls with the Echo Auto. This is convenient, as both the USB and the AUX 3.5mm jacks are in the glovebox, so it is a simple matter to stow the Echo Auto in the glovebox without prying eyes being able to see it. One last thing to figure out - the volume was almost inaudible, and had to turn the volume all the way up on the radio to hear it. The solution is the volume is on the phone. Turn the phone volume all the way up, and you can switch back and forth to radio seamlessly. I tried to film the lights going on and off from my car - but iPhones cannot film while it's connected to bluetooth, apparently. As a footnote, in reading other reviews, I am seeing some reviews which make no sense. If you have a SYNC3 or other seamless phone integration with your stereo, I don't understand the need for not simply running the Alexa app, through your phone - as my Dad does with Alexa, Siri, and Google. Inserting a piece of hardware in between something that already communicates is going to cause conflicts and needless complexity. Download the app and run it. ***Update. The first few times using the Echo Auto, I took the EA with me, and it worked seamlessly. I found that in the 2014 Ford Focus, when left in the car, you have to reset the stereo, by pushing the radio button, and then hit the media button for it to work through the stereo. Hope this helps SYNC1 adopters. ****** Update 2: I picked up a WizGear slim magnetic mount, and mounted the Echo Auto to the side of the glovebox, and pushed the wires out of sight, it works well, maybe even better than on the vent as it is a lot closer, with less road noise. Most people would mistake it for seat controls, I think. It’s not as good as the dash mount which used to be included with the kit, but it will do until I can locate one
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2019
