Can Alexa Give Directions? Unleashing Google Maps on Your Echo Device

Navigating the world with voice commands has become increasingly popular, and smart speakers like Amazon Alexa have made it even easier. A common question among users is: Can Alexa Give Directions? The simple answer is yes, Alexa can provide directions, but its native capabilities are somewhat limited to its built-in mapping service, often relying on HERE Maps. For users deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem or who prefer Google Maps’ comprehensive data and features, the default Alexa navigation might feel insufficient.

This article delves into how you can enhance Alexa’s directional skills by integrating it with Google Maps. While there isn’t an official skill directly from Google, tech-savvy users have developed a workaround to bridge this gap. This guide will walk you through setting up an unofficial Google Maps skill for Alexa, allowing you to leverage Google Maps for your navigation needs directly through voice commands.

Understanding Alexa’s Direction Capabilities and Limitations

Out of the box, Alexa is equipped to provide directions and traffic updates using its default mapping service. You can ask questions like:

“Alexa, how do I get to [address]?”
“Alexa, what’s the traffic like to [work]?”
“Alexa, find the nearest [type of place].”

However, these requests are typically processed using Alexa’s built-in mapping system, which may not always be as detailed or up-to-date as Google Maps, particularly in terms of business listings, real-time traffic data, and route optimization.

For users who rely heavily on Google Maps for its superior points of interest database, street view, and user reviews, the native Alexa directions might not fully meet their expectations. This is where the unofficial Google Maps skill comes into play, offering a solution to bridge this functionality gap.

Setting Up the Unofficial Google Maps Skill for Alexa: A Step-by-Step Guide

This setup involves a few technical steps, but don’t worry, we’ll guide you through each one. You’ll need to utilize Google Maps APIs and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Lambda to create this integration. Here’s a breakdown:

Step 1: Obtain a Google Maps API Key

To access Google Maps services, you’ll need an API key. Google provides these keys for free with a Google Account, allowing you to tap into their powerful mapping data. Here’s how to get one:

Go to the Google Cloud Console: https://developers.google.com/console and log in with your Google Account.
Choose an existing project or create a new one.
Enable the necessary APIs. For this skill, you’ll need to enable:
- Directions API
- Distance Matrix API
- Geocoding API
You might see other APIs listed in the original guide like Elevation, Geolocation, Places, Roads, and Time Zone API. While these are mentioned in the original context, for basic direction functionality, Directions, Distance Matrix, and Geocoding APIs are the most crucial. Enabling the others won’t hurt but ensure at least these three are active.
Create a Server key. This type of key is necessary for server-side applications like AWS Lambda.

For detailed instructions, Google’s documentation for the Directions API provides further assistance. Remember, this single API key can be used for multiple Google Maps services, provided they are enabled in your project.

Important Security Note: Your API key is sensitive information, like a password. Keep it secret and do not share it publicly.

Step 2: Download the Required Code from GitHub

The code that powers this unofficial skill is available on GitHub. You’ll need to download this code to deploy it to AWS Lambda.

Navigate to the GitHub repository (you will need to find the specific repository link, as it was not provided in the original text. A search for “alexa google maps skill github” should help locate it).
Click on the “Clone or download” button, usually green and prominent on the repository page.
Select “Download ZIP”.
Once downloaded, unzip the alexa-googlemaps-master.zip file to a location on your computer that you can easily access.

Step 3: Set Up AWS Lambda Function

AWS Lambda is a serverless computing service that will host the code for your Alexa skill. You’ll need an AWS account to proceed.

Go to http://aws.amazon.com/ and create an AWS account if you don’t already have one. A basic account will suffice for this skill. Note: Setting up an AWS account typically requires a credit or debit card for identity verification, though normal usage of this skill should fall within the free tier limits.
In the AWS console, choose the correct region from the top right dropdown menu. For US users, select “US-East (N. Virginia)”, and for European users, choose “EU (Ireland)”. These are the AWS regions that currently support Alexa skill integration.
Find and select “Lambda” from the AWS Services menu.
Click “Create function”.
Choose “Author from scratch”.
Name your Lambda function, for example, GoogleMapsAlexaSkill.
Select “Python 3.7” or a later supported Python version as the runtime.
For “Role”, choose “Create a new role with basic Lambda permissions”. This simplifies the permission setup.
Click “Create function”.
Under “Add triggers”, select “Alexa Skills Kit”. If you don’t see it, ensure you’re in the correct AWS region (US-East (N. Virginia) or EU (Ireland)). Click “Add”.
In the function designer, click on the “Lambda Function” box.
In “Function code”, ensure “Runtime” is Python and “Handler” is set to lambda_function.lambda_handler. This assumes the Python file in the downloaded code is named lambda_function.py.
For “Code entry type”, select “Upload a .ZIP file”.
Click “Upload” and browse to the unzipped folder from Step 2. Select the Alexa-GoogleMaps.zip file within it (not the master zip file you initially downloaded) and open it.

Scroll down to “Environment variables” and add the following key-value pairs:

Key	Value
`API_KEY`	Your Google Maps API key from Step 1
`COUNTRY`	Your country code (e.g., `US`, `UK`, `CA`)
`WORK`	Your work address (for commute queries)
`HOME`	Your home address (optional, can be set in Alexa app)

Replace the placeholders with your actual API key, country code, and addresses.

Click “Save” in the top right corner. The ZIP file will upload to Lambda, which may take a few moments depending on your internet speed.
After saving, copy the ARN (Amazon Resource Name) from the top right corner of the page. It looks something like arn:aws:lambda:eu-west-1:XXXXXXXXXXXX:function:GoogleMapsAlexaSkill. Paste this ARN into a text file for later use.

This is a placeholder image, and you would replace https://i.imgur.com/example_aws_lambda_setup.png with the actual URL of an image depicting the AWS Lambda setup screen, if available from the original article or created for this guide. The alt text would be: “AWS Lambda function configuration screen showing runtime, handler, code upload, and environment variables settings for the Alexa Google Maps skill.”

Step 4: Configure Alexa Skill in Amazon Developer Console

Now you’ll create the Alexa skill in the Amazon Developer Console and link it to your AWS Lambda function.

Open a new browser tab and go to the Alexa Developer Console: https://developer.amazon.com/home.html. Sign in or create an Amazon Developer account. Ensure you answer “No” to monetization questions if you don’t plan to monetize the skill.
Navigate to Alexa, then “Alexa Skills Kit”.
Click “Create Skill”.
Name your skill, for example, “Google Maps Directions”.
Choose the language that best suits you (e.g., English (US), English (UK)).
Select “Custom” as the model.
Choose “Provision Your Own” for hosting your skill’s backend resources.
Click “Create Skill”.
Select “Start from scratch” template and click “Choose”.
On the left menu, click “JSON Editor”.
Delete the existing code in the editor and copy the contents of the InteractionModel.json file from the unzipped code folder into the JSON editor. Click “Save Model”.
Click “Endpoint” in the left menu.
Select “AWS Lambda ARN” as the Service Endpoint Type.
In the “Default Region” field, paste the ARN you copied from AWS Lambda setup in Step 3. Click “Save Endpoints”.
Go to “Permissions” on the left, enable “Device Address”, and select “Full Address” to allow the skill to access your device’s address for location-based queries.
Click “Custom” on the left menu, then “Invocation”. Set the “Skill Invocation Name” – this is the phrase you’ll use to start the skill (e.g., “Google Maps”).
Click “Build Model” at the top. This process takes a few minutes.
Go to the “Test” tab. Enable testing by selecting “Development” in the dropdown that says “Test is disabled for this skill”.

This is a placeholder image. Replace https://i.imgur.com/example_alexa_skill_setup.png with an actual image URL showing the Alexa Developer Console skill endpoint configuration, if available or created. Alt text: “Alexa Developer Console Endpoint configuration screen showing AWS Lambda ARN endpoint setup for the Google Maps skill.”

Step 5: Grant Skill Permissions in the Alexa App

Finally, you need to grant the skill permission to access your device address through the Alexa app.

Open the Alexa app on your phone or go to https://alexa.amazon.com/ in a browser.
Go to “Skills & Games”.
Select “Your Skills” in the top right, then “Dev”.
Find your “Google Maps” skill and select it.
Tap “Settings”, then “Manage Permissions”. If you don’t see “Settings”, ensure you enabled “Full Address” permission in Step 4.16.
Enable “Device Address” and click “Save Permissions”.

If you are in a region where setting the home address in the Alexa app isn’t supported, you can set the HOME environment variable in Step 3.15 during the AWS Lambda setup.

Using Your Google Maps Alexa Skill

Once setup is complete, you can start using voice commands to get directions, travel times, and commute information from Google Maps through Alexa. Here are some example commands:

“Alexa, ask Google Maps how long will it take to get to [destination]?”
“Alexa, ask Google Maps for directions from [starting point] to [destination].”
“Alexa, ask Google Maps how is my commute?” (Uses your WORK address from setup)
“Alexa, ask Google Maps how is the traffic home?” (Uses your HOME address, if set)

Remember to use your skill’s invocation name (e.g., “Google Maps”) when making requests.

Troubleshooting and Tips

API Key Issues: Double-check your API key is correctly entered in AWS Lambda and that the necessary Google Maps APIs are enabled in your Google Cloud Console project.
AWS Region: Ensure your AWS Lambda function and Alexa skill are set to a compatible region (US-East (N. Virginia) or EU (Ireland)).
Permissions: Verify that you have granted the skill device address permissions in the Alexa app.
Code Updates: If the GitHub repository for the skill is updated, you may need to download the new code and re-upload it to your AWS Lambda function to benefit from improvements or fixes.
Cost Considerations: While AWS Lambda and Google Maps APIs often have generous free tiers, be mindful of usage limits, especially if you use the skill heavily. Monitor your AWS and Google Cloud Console dashboards for any potential charges.

Conclusion: Enhanced Alexa Directions with Google Maps

While not an official integration, this unofficial Google Maps skill significantly enhances Alexa’s ability to provide directions by leveraging the power of Google Maps. By following these steps, you can enjoy more accurate directions, traffic information, and points of interest directly through your Alexa-enabled devices. This project demonstrates the flexibility of both Alexa and Google Maps platforms, allowing users to customize their smart home experience to better suit their preferences. Enjoy the improved navigation at your voice command!