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New Honda Civic packs multi-touch interface and Here Maps navigation
With certain exceptions, Honda isn't frequently on the vanguard of car cabin technology. However, we'll have to toss out our expectations now that the automaker has detailed the 2014 Civic's center stack. The vehicle will be Honda's first to use Display Audio, an infotainment system with multi-touch input much like that on your smartphone. Drivers can pinch the map to zoom in, for instance. There's also a big update to HondaLink in store -- iOS users can buy a $60 navigation app that sends Here Maps data to the compact car's 7-inch touchscreen, including turn-by-turn directions and traffic alerts. Siri Eyes Free is part of Display Audio, too. Motorists will get the technology as soon as the new Civic goes on sale tomorrow, as long as they buy at least the EX model. Frugal buyers will also find it in the 2015 Fit launching next spring.
Honda Accord, Acura RDX and ILX get Siri Eyes Free as a dealer-installed option
We first got word that Siri Eyes Free was coming to the 2013 Honda Accord back in January, but now the auto maker is rolling out the feature to vehicles. Owners of either the aforementioned model, 2014 Accord and both the 2013 Acura RDX and ILX can get the dealer-installed accessory by visiting their local dealer. Through a software update, Apple's hands-free feature works in tandem with HondaLink and AcuraLink to complete tasks with the vehicles' built-in microphone and speaker set. There's still no word on exactly how much the upgrade will cost, but Honda has scheduled a Hangout for December 3rd to make a proper announcement, so perhaps we'll learn the sticker price then.
Siri 'Eyes Free' coming to 2014 GM vehicles
GM has announced that Siri Eyes Free will be coming to the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, Volt, Malibu, SS, Cruze and Equinox. The Eyes Free feature allows Siri to be activated with a button mounted in the steering wheel, making it easier and safer for drivers to interact with Apple's digital assistant while on the road. In a press release GM said: "The response to Siri Eyes Free integration in Chevy Sonic and Spark from our customers has been remarkable. Easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink's existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience, so we're excited to expand this to even more customers." GM is by no means the first or only car manufacturer to support Siri Eyes Free. Just check out all the cars expected to offer it next year here. With Eyes Free, Apple says users will be able to call people, hear and compose text messages, use Maps and get directions, select and play music, read notifications, add reminders, find calendar information and more.
2014 Spark EV test drive: affordable green fun (video)
We've driven a number of EV's over the years -- from the Ford Focus Electric to the Tesla Model S -- but none have been as affordable as the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV. It costs $19,995, including the $7,500 federal tax credit, and just $17,495 in California, thanks to an additional $2,500 credit. The Spark EV is GM's first pure electric car since the company scrapped the EV1 program in 2002. It's a five-door supermini designed to carry four people plus luggage in comfort. While it's primarily a city car, it's perfectly at ease on the highway. We recently got the chance to take one for a spin in lovely Portland, Oregon, so hit the break for our impressions and hands-on video. %Gallery-194735%
Study: voice-controlled interfaces unsafe for driving
I asked, "Siri: Is it safe to be driving and talking to you?" Siri conducted a web search and probably won't be pleased with the results. In a recent AAA study, researchers found that letting drivers text and send email with voice commands is actually more distracting just simply talking on a cellphone. "Compared to other activities studied, we found that interacting with the speech-to-text system was the most cognitively distracting," wrote the researchers. "This clearly suggests that the adoption of voice-based systems in the vehicle may have unintended consequences that adversely affect traffic safety." The research is sure to have criticism. A study (PDF download) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that hand-held phone use was less safe than hands-free, but that study didn't measure text-to-speech features. Not surprisingly, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers was skeptical. "We are extremely concerned that it could send a misleading message, since it suggests that hand-held and hands-free devices are equally risky," the association said in a statement. The AAA study, sponsored by the American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety, was published today in a report titles "Measuring Cognitive Distraction in the Automobile." The AAA has been a longtime advocate for a complete ban on texting while driving, and discourages drivers from talking on the phone, whether hand-held or hands-free. Apple has been promoting its Siri Eyes Free technology and what it calls iOS in the car. Several automakers, including BMW, (BMW supports Eyes Free, but not iOS in the Car) Mercedes, Honda and GM are getting on board.
Siri and iOS in the Car updates announced at WWDC
The next update to Siri has been announced at WWDC, bringing a new graphical user interface and improved search options. Siri will now show the sound wave of your question as you speak and features a new voice that sounds a little less HAL 9000. Users will have male and female voice options, with English, French and German voices packaged out the gate. More language options will be added as time goes on. Siri's capabilities have also been updated to include the ability to play voice mails, turn on Bluetooth or increase brightness. In addition Twitter, Wikipedia and Bing searching have been enabled. The Siri improvements also include the new iOS in the Car; 95 percent of the new cars on the market today have integrated iOS support. iOS in the Car brings iOS information on the screen in your car, allowing you to access Maps, messages, play songs and more without ever taking your eyes off the road.
BMW: Siri Eyes Free in all 2014 models
BMW has announced that all of its 2014 models will be getting an update bringing the Siri "Eyes Free" mode to it ConnectedDrive internet service. The mode will allow users to talk to Siri via their iPhone without having to actually look at their phone. With the latest update to BMW iDrive, both Apple Siri and Samsung S Voice can be accessed through the vehicle's voice command controls. With a paired device, pressing and holding the steering wheel voice command button will engage the device's voice access. Pressing the steering wheel voice button without holding it will continue to access the vehicle's voice command functions. The BMW voice command system itself has been enhanced to now include visual voice command suggestions. Once activated a banner across the top of the display offers prompts for when to speak and provides suggestions for what to say. The suggestions are tailored to the individual menu or function that the driver wishes to access. Honda started offering Siri Eyes Free on select models earlier this year.
BMW expanding ConnectedDrive with web browsing, Siri, S Voice and Android support
BMW has been refining its ConnectedDrive services for months, but that was apparently only a prelude to greater things: the automaker just outlined a roadmap for 2013 and beyond. The company is rolling out iDrive 4.2 firmware for the 2014 model year that supports web browsing while stopped, iAP Bluetooth control through iOS devices and integration with both Siri Eyes Free and S Voice. The new revision also brings voice search for locations through Google, and a ConnectedDrive Store lets drivers buy services without leaving the car. There's more to come in the long run. BMW will add support for Android apps later this year, for a start. It also wants cellular services to be commonplace. Many of its cars will have built-in SIM cards from July onward, and the company expects that cellular access will eventually be standard or near-standard worldwide -- certainly in i-series cars, where it's needed for remote control. About the only catch to the strategy is the current lack of upgrade plans for those with older vehicles. If you're using a 2013 BMW or earlier, you may have to settle for owning the Penultimate Driving Machine.
Chevrolet Sonic, Spark first cars to get Siri Eyes Free integration
GM has announced that the Chevrolet Sonic and Spark will offer Siri Eyes Free integration in March of 2013. This makes good on a promise GM made in June 2012 to deliver the service to the cars within "the next 12 months." Eyes Free will be distributed via an upgrade to existing MyLink radios in the Sonic and Spark. Once the cars have the upgrade, GM says drivers will be able to: Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to Contacts on their iPhone. Play songs in their iTunes libraries, and even switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode. Listen to, compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or anyone in saved Contacts. Access Calendar and add appointments. Minimize distraction even more by keeping the screen of the iPhone from lighting up even when Siri answers simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays. The Siri Eyes Free feature of iOS 6 was first announced at WWDC last year. It allows drivers to safely interact with features of their iPhones via voice control without taking your eyes off the road. Besides GM, both Honda and Hyundai have promised to add Siri Eyes Free integration to their cars in 2013.
2013 Honda Accord, Acura RDX and ILX getting Siri Eyes Free option
More automobile manufacturers are hopping on the Siri Eyes Free bandwagon -- or should that be car carrier? Although announced as a partner in the endeavor last summer, Honda has finally confirmed which models will be the first to utilize the feature: the 2013 Honda Accord, Acura RDX and Acura ILX. All three of these models will interface with Siri-capable iOS devices running iOS 6 or higher via Bluetooth. Using a dedicated hands-free button in the steering wheel, drivers will be able to make use of Apple's virtual assistant for a number of tasks without their phone's screen turning on. The Siri Eyes Free feature will be available as an option that can be installed by dealers, and integrates with the HondaLink and AcuraLink entertainment systems featured in these models. Pricing for the option hasn't been announced.
Siri Eyes Free coming to 2013 Honda Accord, along with Acura RDX and ILX
Good news for Honda fans: the automobile manufacturer has just revealed which of its 2013 vehicles will receive support for Apple's hands-free extension of Siri, known as Eyes Free. Namely, the feature will be available as a dealer-installed option for the Honda Accord, along with the RDX and ILX from Acura. Mum's currently the word on software integration, but it's worth pointing out that the HondaLink infotainment system was previously revealed to debut on the 2013 Accord, and both the RDX and ILX feature AcuraLink -- so, you do the math. Honda's yet to reveal pricing for the kit, but hey, it's something to haggle about.
Hyundai to add Siri Eyes Free to vehicles
Add Hyundai to the list of automakers who are jumping onboard the Siri bandwagon. The Loop reports that at CES, the company announced that the Eyes Free mode added to Siri in iOS 6 will be deployed in unspecified future models. In June, we reported that the Chevrolet Sonic and 2013 Spark from GM are supposed to have the Eyes Free feature, which allows users to interact with Siri through a voice command button on the steering wheel. Other automakers with plans for Eyes Free integration include BMW, Toyota and Honda.
Daily Update for January 7, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
GM to add Siri "Eyes Free" to Chevy Sonic, Spark
Apple has announced that Siri will integrate with certain auto voice control systems once iOS 6 is released. The "Eyes Free" system, as Apple calls it, allows Siri to be activated with a button mounted in the steering wheel. Now, GM has announced that the Chevrolet Sonic and the 2013 Spark will support the feature. The auto manufacturer hasn't provided much detail beyond the initial announcement, but expect more details "within the next 12 months."
Aftermarket Eyes Free Siri button: Could it be possible?
After Monday's keynote, many of us here at TUAW wondered whether an aftermarket Eyes Free button was possible. Eyes Free buttons, which will be integrated into several car lines, allow you to access Siri features by pressing a button on your car's steering wheel. Apple is working with car manufacturers to integrate Siri into select voice control systems. Through the voice command button on your steering wheel, you'll be able to ask Siri questions without taking your eyes off the road. Could this be created? With all due respect to Ian Betteridge, the answer to this headline is not "no" but "maybe". For all that we'd love to kickstart up an effort on this, it turns out that the obstacles are both technological and legal. The button would need to be paired to a phone, would need a power source, and would need to be installed securely on the steering wheel or attachable to a sun visor or provide some other mounting for use while driving. With regard to technical viability, we already see similar features in the Jawbone Bluetooth earpiece line with its support for voice dialing. Press and hold the earpiece button and you invoke VoiceControl on older iPhones and Siri on newer ones. So the tech challenges aren't insurmountable. It would have to be a little more specialized than other aftermarket Bluetooth buttons currently on sale, but only in that the button would be limited to invoking Siri. There are already kits available to wire up existing buttons to aftermarket devices, like the one discussed in this forum post. (Look about halfway down the page, where you press the button for two seconds to place a call, that's how you'd invoke Siri.) In other words, we could easily see this be a product in the $30-$50 range, especially with less snazzy requirements for lower-end cars. I contacted Matthias Ringwald, expert on all things Bluetooth, to discuss what it would take to install an after-market Siri button in a car, specifically tied to voice dialing. What Ringwald thinks might stand in the way could be "made for iPhone" licensing. Apple might require participation for certification, so the product could be sold as intended. As for the tech, he told TUAW, "If it's part of the regular hands free profile (HFP), it shouldn't be hard to add." UPDATE: An anonymous source tells TUAW that Apple detailed the API for Eyes Free Siri in the WWDC Bluetooth sessions.
