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Apple has announced CarPlay – an in-car system designed for using an iPhone while driving.
The system is designed to let drivers make calls, use Maps, listen to music and access messages using a CarPlay-enabled vehicles’s native interface or by using an integrated push-to-talk button for Siri.
Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo will be the first car manufacturers to reveal CarPlay-compatible cars this week, while BMW Group, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia Motors, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota Motor Corp are confirmed to be developing CarPlay vehicles for the future.
“CarPlay has been designed from the ground up to provide drivers with an incredible experience using their iPhone in the car,” commented Greg Joswiak, Apple’s VP of iPhone and iOS product marketing.
“iPhone users always want their content at their fingertips and CarPlay lets drivers use their iPhone in the car with minimized distraction. We have an amazing lineup of auto partners rolling out CarPlay, and we’re thrilled it will make its debut this week in Geneva.”
Detailing the features of CarPlay, Apple explained: “Once [an] iPhone is connected to a vehicle with CarPlay integration, Siri helps you easily access your contacts, make calls, return missed calls or listen to voicemails.”
“When incoming messages or notifications arrive, Siri provides an eyes-free experience by responding to requests through voice commands, by reading drivers’ messages and letting them dictate responses or simply make a call.”
“CarPlay makes driving directions more intuitive by working with Maps to anticipate destinations based on recent trips via contacts, emails or texts, and provides routing instructions, traffic conditions and ETA. You can also simply ask Siri and receive spoken turn-by-turn directions, along with Maps, which will appear on your car’s built-in display.”
CarPlay will be added to Lightning-enabled iPhones, such as the iPhone 5, 5S and 5C, and will be included in an update to iOS 7.
Google is also rumoured to be developing an in-car system for Android devices, tentatively titled ‘Google Projected Mode’ according to a job advert posted by the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, spotted by Engadget.
The software engineer position discusses the features as providing a method to “safely [and] seamlessly integrate” Android into vehicles, including "all Mercedes-Benz vehicles in all markets worldwide”.
