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Yesterday, Apple officially announced the launch of iOS in the Car under its new name, “CarPlay.” Initially, the feature is scheduled to be ready to drive off the lot in Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo vehicles by the end of this year. All three manufacturers have already been showing off CarPlay in Geneva at the biggest car convention in the world.
At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was seen shaking hand with Apple marketing executive Greg Joswiak. The luxury sports car manufacturer called Apple a “key partner for innovation” as the new CarPlay equipped Ferrari FF grand tourer was on display for demonstrations.
CarPlay has been designed from the ground up to provide drivers with an incredible experience using their iPhone in the car,” Joswiak said earlier this week. “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.”
Mercedez-Benz showed off the new CarPlay equipped C-class. The feature uses an indirect COMAND controller that is accessed with Siri voice command and the COMAND dial set in the console.
The allowable apps are limited by Apple’s regulations. Currently drivers will have access to phone, music, iMessage, Maps, Podcast, third-party streaming music services and a few manufacture brand apps. Of course, as the service grows, manufactures will request the Apple allow other apps to integrate into the system (Google Maps?).
Volvo was already ahead of the game with its CarPlay commercial that launched around the same time that Apple announce the rollout of the feature. The car manufacturer’s XC90 will be the first new model to receive the upgrade. It will initially require a Lighting cable, but Volvo plans to offer Wi-Fi support in the near future.
“iPhone users will feel completely at home in a new Volvo. We have created a wholly-integrated user experience in our large portrait-oriented touch screen that takes the in-car mobile device experience to a new level,” said says Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of the Volvo Car Group. “That, coupled with the obvious driver safety benefits of an advanced voice control system like Siri, made Apple a perfect match for Volvo.”
In addition to the three high-class carmakers, Apple noted that the likes of Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, and more are planning on adding CarPlay in the near future. Before long, every car in America will be outfitted with iOS integration.
[Via: AppleInsider, CNet]
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