“Where are my socks?” is just one of the more unusual questions received by the DVLA.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has revealed some of the questions posed by motorists using voice assistants.
But while it’s possible to ask the DVLA when your vehicle tax is due, the government agency is not the place to contact if you’ve mislaid your socks or need to know how to remove chewing gum off a sofa.
DVLA chief executive Julie Lennard said: “We want motorists to be able use our services quickly and easily and voice assistants are becoming more and more popular.
“While some of the questions customers have asked us fall a little outside our area of expertise, we will continue to make our services simpler, better and safer.”
Since the DVLA launched its digital service two years ago, more than 20,000 unique users have turned to Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to find out when their tax is up for renewal.
Today, 98 percent of all interactions with the DVLA are carried out using one of its digital services.
DVLA’s most unusual questions
- How do you get chewing gum off a leather settee?
- How do I apply for Love Island?
- Do you know a good vegan recipe for chicken?
- Are red cars the fastest?
- What time is lunch?
- Is it going to rain in Ellesmere Port today?
- What did you think of the Bumblebee movie?
- How can I stop my flatmate drinking my milk?
- Where are my socks?
- Is this rash normal?
The message is simple: use “Talk to DVLA” or “Ask DVLA” to make vehicle tax-related enquires.
But ask Mark Kermode for views on the Bumblebee movie and the Met Office for the weather in Ellesmere Port.