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.
Bamboo-based toilet paper company Cloud Paper raised $5 million in a recent funding round. Its product is a bamboo-based alternative to traditional toilet paper made from trees, and its mission is to end the deforestation caused by traditional paper products. Cloud Paper says the raise will allow it to make significant investments in its supply chain, product development, and hiring. Ryan Fritsch, a co-founder of Cloud Paper, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The Biden Administration has now issued new guidelines when it comes to carbon capture. The new guidelines handed down this week encouraged the widespread use of climate attacks that traps and stores carbon emissions. The goal here is the process would help keep carbon out of the atmosphere without requiring a whole lot of change by big companies and manufacturing plants. Several scientists say that this method would be crucial to help us decrease the use of carbon emissions by the year 2050. Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, Mark Jacobson, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Ellen Goodwin, Co-Founder and Chief Solutions Officer of Artifcts, joins ChedHER to discuss how she's creating a platform to preserve the history of your belongings, and her experience succeeding in male-dominated industries.
