Goodbye, Siri. Hello, Elle?

When we think of "virtual assistants," Siri and Alexa typically come to mind. But truck drivers now have another option: Elle.

Developed specifically for use by U.S. fleet drivers, Elle is a voice-enabled virtual assistant designed to provide quick and easy access to vehicle- and fleet-related information, according to the developer, Alpharetta, Ga.-based fleet management company LeasePlan USA. The company, which says it will offer Elle as a feature within its MyLeasePlan mobile app, describes Elle as an "intelligent" virtual assistant that leverages voice recognition technology and artificial intelligence to help drivers make the most of their time by delivering instant answers to their questions.

"When a driver is faced with a challenge or needs answers to questions like 'what is my fuel card PIN?' or 'I have a flat tire, where do I go for service?', it may take several minutes or more to locate a fleet manager or call in to a phone line," Felipe Smolka, LeasePlan's executive vice president of transformation, said in a release. "Our goal with Elle has always been to increase independence for drivers, reducing their need to reach out to their fleet managers about day-to-day operational questions."