When a tech giant from California crashes the auto show in Geneva, you can expect a big announcement. This week, Apple revealed its new CarPlay system.
CarPlay is a means of overriding your car’s infotainment display with the iOS interface. Apparently all you will need to make this work is the latest iOS update – latest being most current when CarPlay actually appears in new models – and a lightning cable. Then you can plug your phone in via USB and you’ll automatically have access to a suite of compatible apps.
Cars with touchscreens will be able to make use of these to control CarPlay, which only makes sense given Apple’s strong foundation in touchscreen technology. However, it could be said that the biggest benefit of CarPlay will be having access to Siri, Apple’s virtual intelligence. Drivers will have full access to Siri’s voice control features that will enable them to make phone calls, dictate text messages and emails, and request directions via Apple Maps. These are features that, individually, come in many current cars, but CarPlay brings an added bonus of an interface that many people are already familiar and comfortable with.
It goes without saying that CarPlay will also give users access to all of the available audio apps, too, such as iTunes and iTunes radio, Pandora, Spotify, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.
Autoblog reports that Apple is expecting a number of car companies to announce support for CarPlay, and one of those companies, as you might have guessed from reading about it on this blog, is Ford. We don’t currently know which models CarPlay will be available on, but Leith Ford will keep you informed. In the meantime, you can read more about it and Apple’s official press release on Autoblog.