With smart home appliances and advanced in-car infotainment systems, tech players are determined to help you stay connected to your gadgets at home while you are on the road.
Have you ever left home only to return minutes later to turn off the lights? Are you knocking off late and wish to put the coffee on before stepping into your home? With artificially intelligent voice assistants, you can now enjoy hands-free control over your smart home devices while on the road. Bring the Internet of Things to life in three simple steps.
1. In-Car Voice Assistants
The first step is to get your hands on an Amazon Echo Auto, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto. While the Amazon Echo Auto is a slim and sleek smart speaker, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are simplified versions of your phone screen that are designed for in-car use. These devices also do much more than play music — ask a question or get turn-by-turn directions with a spoken command.
The first step is to get your hands on an Amazon Echo Auto, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto. While the Amazon Echo Auto is a slim and sleek smart speaker, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are simplified versions of your phone screen that are designed for in-car use. These devices also do much more than play music — ask a question or get turn-by-turn directions with a spoken command.
2. Command and Control
From smart lights and doorbells to thermostats and indoor cameras, there is a range of devices and sensors you can activate from Apple CarPlay , Android Auto or Amazon Echo Auto. Have everything work together when you use compatible smart switches, lights, and other add-ons. If you prefer to keep your smart lights, locks, cameras and more under a single brand, the Apple HomeKit and Google Nest have you covered. A growing number of products are also built-in with Amazon’s Alexa.
3. Command and Control
Now that your home is connected, simply say “Hey Siri”, “OK Google”, or “Hey Alexa” to begin talking to your home from your car. Rather than instructing your voice assistant to turn devices on and off, have them watch over your home even if you are not there. There are applications, such as Alexa Hunches, that can alert you whenever your home devices stray from their usual patterns. For instance, it could inform you if you have left the kitchen lights on by learning when they are usually on or off.
Future of Connectivity
Drivers can soon buckle up for a whole new driving experience. Who would have thought a decade ago that many of our devices would be capable of communicating with each other today?
While critics are concerned over potential driving distractions, they agree that it takes less time completing tasks on such digital devices. Nonetheless, drivers are encouraged to avoid performing non-driving related functions as far as possible to keep their eyes on the road.
In the near future, biometric sensors in your car may even detect your stress levels before putting on the right music on your home stereo. If your car finds out you are hosting a football game night, it may even turn on your home lights in a certain colour to cheer on your favourite team! For now, enjoy getting your coffee freshly brewed when nearing home, or cool your home on a warm night before setting foot indoors. Driving is set to be a truly digital and immersive experience.
