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Las Vegas - The Latest on the CES technology show in Las Vegas (all times local):
2:00pm
Toyota says it will begin integrating Amazon's Alexa voice assistant into some of its vehicles, so drivers can tell their cars to play music or set a comfortable temperature at home before arriving.
In choosing Alexa over rival Google Assistant, Toyota Connected CEO Zack Hicks says Amazon is the right partner as Toyota studies what future mobility might look like.
The integration will start later this year. Toyota didn't say which car models will have it.
Ford and Hyundai are among the auto companies already supporting Alexa.
Hicks says there's nothing preventing Toyota from partnering with others in the future.
The development came Tuesday as the CES tech show floor opened.
A simulator of Toyota Concept-i Yui, an in-vehicle artificial intelligence assistant, is seen during CES 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP
12:45pm
Ford is partnering with Postmates, an on-demand delivery company, to study how merchants and customers might interact with self-driving delivery vehicles.
Ford Motor Co.'s president of global markets, Jim Farley, says self-driving vehicles must do more than just move people. He says they can cut down on traffic and parking hassles by allowing groceries, dry cleaners and other businesses to share delivery vehicles that are programmed to take the most efficient route.
The research will build on what Ford learned last year in a partnership with Domino's Pizza that sent semi-autonomous vehicles out to deliver pizzas.
Postmates operates in 20 US cities — including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles — and has a fleet of 150 000 couriers. Ford announced the partnership Tuesday at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.
A self-driving delivery vehicle is on display at the Ford booth during CES 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP
