Halfords to sell ‘world’s first’ connected bike with Amazon Alexa
The bike will allow riders to use their voice to receive anything from traffic updates to directions.
Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant is continuing to move beyond the speaker and on to two wheels for the first time, with the launch of a new connected smart bike in the UK.
The Cybic Legend will allow riders to ask Alexa anything as they cycle, from traffic updates to directions.
“Adding Alexa functionality expands the notion of ‘Alexa On The Go’, where Alexa is available anywhere where the bike is,” said David Kumar, principal product manager at Alexa Voice Services.
“The combination of Alexa and Cybic enables riders to enjoy a great range of innovative, integrated bike features without their hands ever having to leave the safety of the handle bars.”
Alexa has gradually made its way on to a number of unexpected devices, including a microwave and even a revival of Noughties novelty Big Mouth Billy Bass.
The Cybic Legend will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week, alongside an electric version, the Cybic E-Legend.
Halfords will be first to stock the range in the UK and Ireland from the summer, with three years of Vodafone 3G data included to make use of the smart features.
“We’ve seen innovations in alternative commuting go from strength to strength and after electric bikes we predict that the next big trend for commuters will be smart bikes,” said Halfords’ Andy Whitehall.
“The Cybic contains all the features you love about Alexa, but now in a bike, and we are delighted to be the first to offer this to UK customers when it launches in the summer 2019.
“The technology will help cyclists with many things including getting traffic updates, getting turn-by-turn directions, personalised light settings, playing music and much more.”
A control mounted on the handlebars will be the centre point of smart features including performance data, personalised light settings, theft tracking, a security lock and alarm which can be accessed through the bike’s app, and a music player.
CES kicks off on January 8.
