This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Johnson Automotive.

Picture driving home after a lengthy trip to the grocery store only to realize you’ve forgotten an essential ingredient for Saturday’s dinner. Instead of turning around and risking the ice cream in the back melting, ask Alexa to order what you need from Amazon.

Thanks to Alexa integration in new Lexus models, this scenario is already happening in cars today.

“It’s still kind of in its infancy,” said Clyde Weed, a Lexus Certified Technology Specialist with Johnson Automotive. “The people that do use it, love it. It’s one of those things you have to see in action.”

The advent of virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and smart speakers like Amazon’s family of Echo devices has revolutionized the way we interact with basic household elements like lights and air conditioning, and of course, how we shop. Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices are available for a low as $40 and are a gateway into the Internet of Things.

“Typically, if they have something for Alexa, they have house lights or all kinds of devices,” Weed said. “It’s basically there, hands-free. And if you don’t have Alexa at your house, you can just download the app and talk to Alexa that way. It really requires no purchase to get into the system.”

IoT-enabled devices connect physical devices to the Internet, allowing you to check if your doors are locked through “smart” locks or to start brewing a pot of coffee from your office. And now your Lexus can be just as connected.

A synthesis of apps enables Alexa capabilities in your car, from playing music, to ordering products, to activating Internet-connected devices in your home, like opening your garage door with your voice.

The new Lexus+Alexa app is currently available on Android phones running OS 5.0 or newer, with an iPhone app coming in 2019. Just log in with your existing Amazon account, sync your phone to the car via Bluetooth, and the app will connect with the Lexus Enform App Suite to bring Alexa to the car. From there, the capabilities are the same as any other Alexa enabled device.

“Alexa is new for Lexus, the system is there in place,” Weed explained. “It does a few key things. You’ll see more integration in the system. Once your phone connects to the car, the car sees you have the app running, and it allows you to use those apps in the car.”

If the setup sounds intimidating, most car dealerships will help you set everything up.

“Whenever a guest buys a car, there’s a delivery specialist that goes over the car with them,” Weed said, describing the service that customers receive at Johnson Automotive. “We have some guests that come in without email accounts, we set up Alexa. We’re like their grandkid for them. A guy recently came in from CarMax and said, ‘Hey, I bought this car, and it’s got all this stuff in it, but the salesman didn’t know much about it. Can you guys help out?'”

In addition to all of the latest Alexa tech, all of the older integrations are still available. Lexus Connect utilized Alexa in certain 2015 Lexus models to allow car owners to remote start the car. Newer uses of this technology allow Alexa to remotely check things like fuel levels or whether the doors are locked.

Lexus+Alexa enables a powerful voice assistant for drivers to take advantage of without having to take their eyes off the road or play around with a touch screen. Utilizing the Alexa ecosystem allows Lexus drivers to join their already connected smart homes to their cars, providing for a seamless transition and opening up a world of new possibilities.

You can find Lexus+Alexa in the 2019 UX, NX, ES, LS, LC, RC and RC F models.

This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Johnson Automotive.