Last week, Apple announced during WWDC its new "Eyes Free" device, a one-click button that allows drivers to access Siri, a voice recognition assistant, from their iPhone or iPad without having to look at the device to prompt the app.
Rather than collaborate with individual automakers to develop infotainment systems with Apple functionality, Apple simplifies the process by reserving the operations to its own portable devices and only adding a single button on the steering wheel as a Bluetooth peripheral. According to Apple Senior Vice President of iOS development Scott Forstall, the quick and easy integration has allowed an initial roster of nine automakers that are working to bring Siri "Eyes Free" to their vehicles.
Yesterday, GMAuthority reported that General Motors is working on its very first Eyes Free integrated vehicles - the Chevrolet Spark and Sonic sub-compacts. While GM did not provide the official release of the Siri integrated Spark and Sonic, an announcement is expected within the next 12 months.
Via GMAuthority, GM Communications Director Scott Fosgard advocates the Siri eyes-free technology and its ease in complementing GM's strategy of allowing smartphones to carry out the functions it was engineered to perform while the user can access them while using the vehicle's own interfaced. This combination benefits both simplicity of integration and the minimization of cost.
Considering the emphasis on ease of implementation, expect aftermarket Eyes Free devices to further accelerate Apple's integration in all vehicles.
