( Update: I was mistaken below. the music and station formats you get depends upon the name of the subscriber. So you can ensure your get a full subscription by installing the device in the same name. Also Ads are then also gone. The installation and maintenance of Alexa Smart Home is still too obscure, for something that claims to border on intelligence. A very astute and friendly Amazon call center person led me through the process ) ....
Been now using the Auto Echo for several months, this lets you connect with the Echo infrastructure cheaply from most cars. The capability was advertised as providing the same Alexa environment you got at home, including smart home connections. It works fairly well via a smartphone Echo App.
In just the last few days Amazon has started to insert amazon Advertising into the requested music stream, even for unlimited music subscribers. Most requests for genre or even more specific music are converted into a 'station' request. So the channel then includes advertising, fairly often in my estimation. This is quite annoying, especially if you are paying for and expecting advertising-free streaming music, as I am.
In some cases I can buy directly by voice, adding more interaction delay. Even Playlist requests convert into Stations, sometimes stretching the 'radio' definition. At home requests for music than come from Prime or Unlimited music come advertising-free as they always have been. Station requested from Tunein or IHeartRadio seem to be working as before, with no additional ads.
I assume this addition of ads pays for the new auto infrastructure. But the overall impression is negative. I pay extra for advertising-free, but now I get ads. Its obvious that playlists and genres are being reinterpreted to get more ads to me. The experience with Echo Auto is good, but not completely seamless. This additional intrusion into the channel will not help sell it.
I'd like to see Amazon's view of this.
Update: I see that Echo Auto devices are being given out free with Buick automobiles in a promotion now. Assuming these are being used to promote the use of Alexa infrastructure. Again the way they work, interspersing Amazon ads, would cheapen the gift, if the promotion devices work the same way.
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