Apple has announced CarPlay, its effort to give the iPhone a bigger place inside cars.
Unveiled at an auto show in Geneva, Switzerland, CarPlay lets drivers access their iPhone device content and maps from the car’s entertainment system. Ferrari, Mercedes and Volvo are showing off CarPlay implementations at the show, while other makers pledging to include CarPlay in future vehicles including BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.
CarPlay allows drivers to make calls, listen to voice mail and hear incoming alerts and messages. Integration with maps allows turn-by-turn directions to show up on the vehicle’s infotainment system, on the audio side, CarPlay supports iTunes radio, podcasts and certain third-parity apps including Spotify and iHeartRadio.
“CarPlay has been designed from the ground up to provide drivers with an incredible experience using their iPhone in the car,” Apple VP Greg Joswiak said in a statement.
Apple said CarPlay will start showing up in vehicles later this year and requires iOS 7 and a Lightning-enabled iPhone (meaning the iPhone 5 and later).
Google has also recently dipped its toe in this area, announcing in January its plans for the Open Automotive Alliance, an effort to include Android in cars.
Of note, Apple’s wants to encourage car makers to support use of an iPhone when available for CarPlay. That means that carmakers that want to support CarPlay will still need an infotainment system of their own for use when an iPhone isn’t nearby.
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