Roav Viva navigation and Alexa skill issues

Navigation on Roav Viva is extremely finicky. I can ask her to take me to the nearest airport. Then she’ll come back with the address of the closest airport and asks if I want her to give me directions. I say “yes” and she says she can’t and she needs a more specific address. I also created a skill for Alexa to welcome other passengers in my car by saying a key phrase. She does it just fine, but before she executes the skill she always alerts that the current skill I’m using is not supported, but the skill works just fine. Anyone have any of these issues or fixes? I find myself navigating with “Hey Google”. I hate to say it, but Google Assistant seems better at navigation. I might as well just plug an Amazon Dot in the car.

2 Likes

Wish I could help, but want to follow this topic because I’m really curious about the ROAV Viva and how it compares to the Echo Auto. I’m on the invite list for the Echo Auto but still waiting. I would imagine that new Alexa skills and capabilities are being launched for the Echo Auto, but not sure how many of them will also be available to third-party devices like the Viva.

A lot I hope.

I’m a rideshare driver; so hands-free functions are a must. The Roav Viva seems to be able to hear me just fine and she can execute most all standard skills like “drop-in”, Amazon Music, notes, reminders, and shopping list and ordering on Amazon Shopping. Roav Viva does seem to have a bit longer wait time between her wake word and executing your request, but it’s negligible. It’s advertised that your smart phone does most of the heavy lifting with executing your requests, but it doesn’t support dynamic skills created on Amazon Blueprint website. The Alexa app on your phone does support dynamic skills, but no hands-free function on the Alexa app. Maybe it’s a legal issue between Roav and Amazon. The Roav Viva or Roav app does not seem to have the legal rights to interface with the Alexa app; or the skills that the Alexa app can execute should be available on the Roav Viva. It seems to be a software thing. Now, I have no idea what’s up with the navigation on the Roav Viva. Either she can’t understand the word “yes” , or she’s listening for another word, or it’s just hard for her to interface with Google Maps. That’s understandable; two apps made by different companies trying to interface with each other; both being competitors, “Google Home” and “Amazon Alexa”. Why would Google help Amazon with interfacing with their app? I’ll try to use the Waze map app and see if Alexa can interface better.

1 Like

I have the same issues and sometimes it even says I have no internet connection even when I do have full set of bars on 4g. I still use it but at least for me, I can’t get to read or send text with this. I can with the Eufy Genie or Dots.

If I need to send text msg or read I have to use Google Assistant

I’m curious about what they say about your questions.

my current issue with Viva is that everytime I ask the question, the Roav Viva app comes to foreground, which is really annyoing as i use waze for navigation. It used to work fine, but not it looks like viva takes priority. any idea how to sort it out?

@Carlton_Rickey_Decke I understand that sometimes the direction will not work because the area may not within the Alexa service range. I have forwarded this to our engineer and he will communicate with Amazon Alexa to expand the navigation area. Hope it will be better in the future. If you need more help, please contact us @ support@goroav.com. Thanks.