After months of testing, leaked screenshots and videos, Apple has officially announced its iOS in the car service goes live this week. Called CarPlay, the integrated system gives drivers a smarter, safer and more fun way to use an iPhone in the car. It works by linking the cars built-in display and software with iOS 7 and Siri on the iPhone 5, 5C and 5S - and will be rolled out to compatible Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo later this week. IS APPLES CARPLAY AS DANGEROUS AS USING A PHONE? In April last year Texas researchers found that using voice commands to send text messages while driving - on software such as Apples Siri - is just as dangerous as texting with fingers. They found that both methods impacted driver response times equally - but that it often took voice recognition users longer to fix mistakes with their messages. The findings were then confirmed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in the U.S in June. It similarly found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction times get slower and brain function is compromised. In the run up to the CarPlay release, Apple added Eyes-Free technology to its latest iOS software. The Siri Eyes-Free tool lets users control this the system by voice so they can keep their eyes on the road. Once an iPhone is connected to a vehicle fitted with CarPlay, Siri can be used to access the phone’s contacts, make calls, return missed calls and listen to voicemails. When a user receives an incoming message or notification, they can reply using voice commands. Siri can also read the messages and let drivers dictate longer responses or emails. While driving, CarPlay can guess destinations by scanning the phone’s calendar for appointments, and when used with Apple Maps, Siri will give instructions, warn of any traffic incidents and keep the driver updated with the estimated time of arrival. Drivers can also ask Siri for turn-by-turn directions, which are shown on the car’s built-in display. Elsewhere, CarPlay can be used to control music, podcasts and audiobooks on the car’s display, or by asking Siri to pull up what they’d like to hear. CarPlay also works with select third-party apps such as Spotify and iHeartRadio. ‘CarPlay has been designed from the ground up to provide drivers with an incredible experience using their iPhone in the car,’ said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president 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 minimised distraction. We have an amazing lineup of auto partners rolling out CarPlay, and we’re thrilled it will make its debut this week.’ Other car makers including BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot Citroën, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota will be shipping CarPlay-compatible cars later this year. A leaked video, posted by app developer Steven Troughton-Smith at the end of January, hinted to what the technology would look like. Troughton-Smith shared a series of screenshots about what CarPlay might look like. Google has also been in talks with car manufacturers, including Audi, to add a similar, Android-based system into cars later this year.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Mar 2014 23:26:14 +0000
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