- BMW will add Amazon Alexa+ technology to its vehicles, debuting in the new iX3.
- The AI assistant is LLM-powered, enabling natural dialogue and context-based follow-ups.
- Availability starts in Germany and the US in 2026, with other markets to follow.
BMW has confirmed it will roll out a new generation of its Intelligent Personal Assistant built on Amazon’s Alexa+ architecture, debuting in the new BMW iX3 and set to launch in Germany and the US in the second half of 2026.
The integration marks the first time a carmaker has fully embedded Amazon’s latest AI voice platform into its vehicles, blending natural conversation with control over both infotainment and driving-related features.
The system enables genuinely fluid speech recognition. Drivers and passengers can ask multi-part questions or link unrelated requests, say, “What’s the most famous painting in the world and take me there?”, and the assistant will identify the Mona Lisa and set navigation to the Louvre. It’s powered by a Large Language Model (LLM), meaning it interprets context and follow-up questions much like a human conversation.
Natural talk, smarter tech
BMW’s Senior Vice President for Digital Services, Stephan Durach, says the partnership stems from “a shared vision of technological excellence,” adding that it “sets new standards in the naturalness of human-vehicle interaction.” Amazon’s Daniel Rausch, VP of Alexa and Echo, echoed that sentiment, describing the result as “a truly sophisticated in-vehicle experience.”
The LLM-driven assistant uses AI reasoning to respond intelligently and refine future interactions. It can even anticipate intent, learning from context over time to deliver faster, more relevant responses. Crucially, the BMW implementation removes the need for rigid voice commands or set phrases.
From CES to the open road
The enhanced assistant will make its public debut at CES 2026 in Las Vegas before launching in the iX3. It’s part of BMW’s ongoing shift toward the “software-defined vehicle” concept, tightly integrating cars into users’ digital ecosystems.
The iX3 will also feature BMW’s latest Panoramic iDrive system running Operating System X, while future BMW models equipped with Operating System 9 and X will gain Alexa+ integration later in 2026.
BMW hasn’t disclosed which markets will follow the US and Germany, but the partnership could signal the start of a new era in voice-driven car tech, provided Amazon's smarts can truly augment the user experience.