Amazon is getting into car security in earnest At an event on September 24, the company unveiled three Ring-branded automotive devices Alarm, Dash Camera, and an aftermarket device called Ring Car Connect, which integrates some of these monitoring features into the car itself There is also a software API for Ring Car Connect

These products will not be available until next year, but Amazon says there is a large demand from car owners who want to integrate the same set of Ring security features into their cars that they already employ in their homes Ring Car Alarm is $59, and Ring Car Cam and Ring Car Connect accessories are $199

Here we will take a deeper look at each of these Alexa-powered in-car security products

We start with Ring Car Alarm, an OBD-II device that sounds when it detects a break-in, towing, or accident If any of these situations occur, you will be notified via another Alexa-enabled device, which can also remotely sound the alarm manually if you choose

You may wonder how Ring Car Alarm can be linked to another device After all, the OBD-II dongle does not employ data connectivity or even Wi-Fi, and relies on the Sidewalk network of Bluetooth Low Energy devices that Amazon has yet to launch and is said to be up and running by the end of 2020

Because of this, Ring Car Alarm does not require any monthly fees This means that buyers will only have to pay $59 for the device itself

Next, step up to the Ring Car Cam, a $199 dash cam that relies on Wi-Fi and LTE (The Ring Car Cam has two HD cameras, one facing out the windshield and the other facing back inside the car; like the Ring Car Alarm, it notifies the owner if it detects anything unusual, but it is a complete dash cam with true data connectivity and a link to the cloud and therefore can do much more than that

For example, if you are pulled over, you can say, "Alexa, I'm pulled over," and Ring Car Cam will begin recording video from inside the car Amazon promises that all footage will be "securely stored" and can even notify loved ones when you say that command

Additionally, Ring Car Cam's Emergency Crash Assist system will immediately notify first responders in the event of an accident This is a welcome feature, but this type of functionality is also being included in cell phones, such as Google's Personal Safety app for Android

Think of Ring Car Connect as a way to integrate Ring Car Alarm and Ring Car Cam software into vehicles that already have around-view and interior cameras Car companies are free to integrate Ring Car Connect into their vehicles, but until that happens, interested car owners can purchase a standalone aftermarket $199 device that essentially enables these features in the car

For example, all four vehicles in Tesla's current model range can add Ring Car Connect to complement Tesla's Sentry Mode; when Sentry Mode is on, owners can view feeds through the Ring app They can also view recorded driving video on other devices However, it is worth pointing out that, as with Ring Car Cam, a monthly fee must be paid to upload data to the cloud via LTE

Given Ring's penetration and that of the Dash Cam, it was only a matter of time before Amazon made this play, leveraging the strength of its Alexa software and its car security footprint It is also encouraging that the company is offering its customers a choice between more affordable and truly feature-rich options

Indeed, $199 for a dash cam is quite expensive, as even a cursory examination of Amazon's best-selling candidates will show Yet, many of the companies in this field are not well known, and the more expensive options from giants like Garmin and Vava end up costing the same or more than Amazon's offer

We're eager to try out Amazon's car products as soon as they become available