MWSF: An iPod for every car

One of the unforeseen developments at the Macworld Expo SF this year was the heightened drive towards union between iPod and car. According to Phil Schiller, Apple's senior VP of marketing, "Almost every car company in the world is working to integrate iPod into their cars in 2005."

Apple
announced today it has struck deals with Nissan, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz USA, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari to add iPod integration to their car stereo systems this year. The Mercedes-Benz iPod Integration Kit is set to debut in April with the newly redesigned 2006 Mercedes-Benz-M-Class. Volvo will unleash two iPod options for the entire line of 2005 models in the US. Details on the Nissan, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo solutions will be forthcoming later this year.

The companies join the ranks of BMW and MINI Cooper, both of whom began offering iPod integration solutions in their vehicles last year.