Chris (In-Car AI)

Could this smart ‘Alexa for the car’ device be the KITT from Knight Rider you’ve always dreamed of?

Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant may have taken over our homes, but there’s still one area where voice assistants are lagging behind: our cars. We find this strange, because it’s also where voice control would be most useful, as picking up your phone in a moving vehicle is dangerous and could lead to a hefty fine. enter chris, a digital assistant that adds hands-free entertainment, connectivity and navigation capabilities to any car on the road, regardless of the car’s age or model.

The device itself feels sturdy, and the screen clicks nicely into the magnetic mount. We had it set up, attached to our windscreen and ready to receive commands in no time at all, enabling us to receive and reply to texts and WhatsApp messages, to listen to music, follow navigation instructions, and make and receive phone calls.