Enjoy Alexa and Ford Premium Connectivity??? HUH?

[LDHunter]

I don't know if this has been discussed here before but I just ran across this in my FordPass app.....

"Enjoy Alexa and Ford Premium Connectivity"

"With Alexa Built-in, we're providing you with complimentary Alexa access for the next three years. Simply link your Amazon account to your 2025 Ford Ranger to get started, and you can enjoy most of the same functionality on the road that you have with Alexa at home. Ask about the weather, your commute or call a friend - all with your voice commands. It's part of our ongoing effort to deliver a delightful ownership experience."

Has anyone tried this yet? I don't use Apple Car Play with my iPhone because I didn't like it a bit and read a several negative reviews of the experience.

The idea sounds great and I'd really like to become more hands free when I drive. It would be cool to just be driving down the road and saying "Alexa" play Led Zeppelin" or something like it without having to engage my phone.

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[natethegreat42]

I don’t use Alexa cause I really don’t care too much for Amazon as a whole, but also because I am a heavy CarPlay user.
I have not had a single issue with it in the 6 months I have owned my truck, and it’s really the only thing I use while driving. I can even trigger Siri with the voice button on the steering wheel so I don’t have to touch the center stack while driving!
But I do acknowledge others have had issues with it and with it disconnecting.

Ford Premium features that you were talking about are in the FordPass app. I believe it’s some of the added data about your Ranger you can see from the app.

 

[1996-to-2025]

I use it occasionally. It works just like an Echo at home.

 

[LDHunter]

So do you need to do anything to wake it up or just say "Alexa" at any time and then issue a command?

 

[1996-to-2025]

Just say "Alexa".

 

[superj]

i think, the one or two times i have thought about it, if my phone is hooked to the truck via bluetooth or wire, i just say alexa, blah blah blah and whatever i asked worked just like at the house.
but i also think i have used the voice prompt button on the steering wheel and gotten a similar experience.

now i have to try it on the way home to remember how it worked though

 

[GLW]

So do you need to do anything to wake it up or just say "Alexa" at any time and then issue a command?

I just say “ hey siri play Goose” and Goose just starts playing. I have Amazon Music so maybe that is what makes it work for me. I really don’t know.
Not a fan of Alexa.

 

[LDHunter]

I love Amazon Music and Alexa but then I'm old school. Up until 20 years ago I always had a secretary. Alexa fills that role now.

 

[superj]

i hate how if you ask alexa serious questions, like what the humidity is today, she cannot answer it. the google dot can answer stuff like that. the dot even gives the weather using the navy airfield near my house instead of 20 miles inland where the temp is always 5 degrees different then my temps.

alexa can only tell me what the regular temp without the heat index is, which is no good 9 months of hte year here. todays temp is 85 but the humidity makes it feel like 93. during hte summer, when its 99-102 outside, i always want to know the heat index so i can see how its going to be while doing outdoor things. a heat index of 113 can really take you out if you are not careful and we get those kinds of days for months here

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

Another feature I never use.....don't have one at home or a Amazon account.

 

[Don Vandyke]

I use Alexa a lot. I also use the voice command for the Ford map I like it better than the Google/Android map. In settings you can set up wake words for the Ford map. I am getting old and need to keep my eyes on the road. It's very convenient to get my music,directions or make a call without touching anything.

 

[stemplar]

I don't know if this has been discussed here before but I just ran across this in my FordPass app.....

"Enjoy Alexa and Ford Premium Connectivity"

"With Alexa Built-in, we're providing you with complimentary Alexa access for the next three years. Simply link your Amazon account to your 2025 Ford Ranger to get started, and you can enjoy most of the same functionality on the road that you have with Alexa at home. Ask about the weather, your commute or call a friend - all with your voice commands. It's part of our ongoing effort to deliver a delightful ownership experience."

Has anyone tried this yet? I don't use Apple Car Play with my iPhone because I didn't like it a bit and read a several negative reviews of the experience.

The idea sounds great and I'd really like to become more hands free when I drive. It would be cool to just be driving down the road and saying "Alexa" play Led Zeppelin" or something like it without having to engage my phone.

Use carplay, even if only for the hands-free phone control and to ask things like the example questions in the ford/alexa post. Reading a bad review isn't a great reason to avoid it. I'd suggest trying again. Maybe the last time you tried it it was with an older phone, older iOS version, older carplay version, older car with slower processors, etc...

 

[waffleso_0]

I use Android Auto with my Ranger and it's the best! One cool thing I discovered. If you tap the command button on the steering wheel it goes through sync commands but! if you hold the command button it brings up google assistant, which is pretty damn powerful and does everything I ask and has gemni built in.

I can look up schedules and do everything I normally would do on my pixel via my voice. I love it. Will never buy a vehicle without it. The UI is fast and simple, whereas I find sync UI to be slightly slow on some multi step taps. Wish it had a better chipset.

 

[bigb]

I use Android Auto with my Ranger and it's the best! One cool thing I discovered. If you tap the command button on the steering wheel it goes through sync commands but! if you hold the command button it brings up google assistant, which is pretty damn powerful and does everything I ask and has gemni built in.

I can look up schedules and do everything I normally would do on my pixel via my voice. I love it. Will never buy a vehicle without it. The UI is fast and simple, whereas I find sync UI to be slightly slow on some multi step taps. Wish it had a better chipset.

Would you say Android Auto with Google Assistant is a better way to go than Alexa? My main uses would be calling up streaming music apps, asking where food, hotels and fuel stops are, and making an occasional phone call.

 

[waffleso_0]

Would you say Android Auto with Google Assistant is a better way to go than Alexa? My main uses would be calling up streaming music apps, asking where food, hotels and fuel stops are, and making an occasional phone call.

100%. It's a more mature product and its free with my phone. I dont have to pay some premium connected services or whatever.

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