Apple wants to put vehicle climate controls, seat adjustments and instrument clusters...

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Apple is reportedly looking to expand on its CarPlay integration in a big way. Sources familiar with the company’s plans told Bloomberg that Apple is developing technology that would allow users to access and control vehicle functions like the climate-control system, seat positioning and the instrument cluster directly from an iPhone.

The program is known internally as IronHeart, and is said to still be in the early stages of development. What’s more, it would require the cooperation of automakers in order to be launched as a consumer product.

Bloomberg notes that some Apple users have complained about the need to switch between CarPlay and their vehicle’s infotainment system to manage certain features. Adding the aforementioned functionality to CarPlay would reduce this friction.

The biggest hurdle at this stage would seemingly be with automakers. Would they be willing to forfeit control of these key vehicle features to Apple? If so, at what cost? Surely they wouldn’t just hand over that sort of power free of charge, even if it does make their vehicles more attractive to buyers.

As Bloomberg highlights, Apple has allowed carmakers to create third-party apps for CarPlay to control various functions since 2015, but most haven't taken part in the program.

Conversely, one has to question how useful these features would actually be. Do we really need yet another thing to keep track of on our phones? You’re already in the vehicle and in the driver’s seat with all of these controls at arm’s length; why bother putting them on a phone? If anything, it sounds like yet another thing to distract drivers from focusing on the road.

Image credit: Roberto Baldwin, Car and Driver

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https://www.techspot.com/news/91634-apple-wants-put-vehicle-climate-controls-seat-adjustments.html

 

[m4a4]

No. I refuse to buy a car that doesn't have physical controls to do the most basic functions.
I don't want to go through menus (or wait for the OS to startup) just to do something basic.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

My girlfriend leased a Hyundai Genesis with these features. The latency when connecting and communicating to a car with a smartphone is so ridiculously high and problematic that it isn’t worth it.

Short range radio frequency is the only practical method.

Most countries don’t allow cars to idle so you miss out on autostart and energy using features.

EV may be better since they are basically “always on”

 

[Theinsanegamer]

The use of touchscreen controls when driving needs to be outlawed. Physical buttons or GTFO. So many drivers ont he road with their heads buried in their radio trying to find the Fing HVAC controls.

 

[p51d007]

I watched a video over the weekend, in Iowa, the highway patrol teamed up with some trucking company to do a "ride along". Setting up high in the cab, they nabbed a TON of people texting while driving. One of things that annoys me the most is people with their phone in their hands while driving!
I hate this touch screen garbage.
I can keep my eyes on the road, and use one hand to hunt and feel for the volume, heater/AC etc.

 

[Aceseven]

I watched a video over the weekend, in Iowa, the highway patrol teamed up with some trucking company to do a "ride along". Setting up high in the cab, they nabbed a TON of people texting while driving. One of things that annoys me the most is people with their phone in their hands while driving!
I hate this touch screen garbage.
I can keep my eyes on the road, and use one hand to hunt and feel for the volume, heater/AC etc.

if you knew how many times ive had to lay on the horn to get a car in front of me to look up during a red light.

I drive a truck and its sad how many people are texting, on some social media app, using facetime! just legit riding down the road on facetime phone in hand chatting away and swerving.

light goes red, head goes down, gotta get that fix.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I watched a video over the weekend, in Iowa, the highway patrol teamed up with some trucking company to do a "ride along". Setting up high in the cab, they nabbed a TON of people texting while driving. One of things that annoys me the most is people with their phone in their hands while driving!
I hate this touch screen garbage.
I can keep my eyes on the road, and use one hand to hunt and feel for the volume, heater/AC etc.

if you knew how many times ive had to lay on the horn to get a car in front of me to look up during a red light.

I drive a truck and its sad how many people are texting, on some social media app, using facetime! just legit riding down the road on facetime phone in hand chatting away and swerving.

light goes red, head goes down, gotta get that fix.

See thsi kind of behaviour is why the federal government wants to mandate "saftey tech" like lane keep asist and adjustable cruise control. Which of course will onyl make the problem worse.

Much easier back int he 70s when all you ahd was a radio and 0 crash saftey where any wheel slippage would cause nuclear puckerage. People today think they're invincible in their 20 airbag car.

 

[Uncle Al]

The National Highway Safety Board needs to DO THEIR JOB and lower the boom on any manufacturer that does this. Not only is it dangerous and strongly contributes to distracted driving it puts priority on a phone branding. Most cars today are overloaded with technological "toys" that not only are not needed but create a haven for breakdowns and costly repairs. Sooner or later one of these car makers is going to figure it all out and bring back a more simple, direct, mechanically operated automobile that savvy consumers will flock to.

 

[Robkaminski]

Don't agree with this at all. I work for Mazda and all the new infotainment screens are no longer touch screen. Makes absolute sense. Apple need to just do one and stop trying to control everything.

 

[oldikes]

CarPlay is completely independent of touch screens or the phone screen. Once you plug the phone in, theres no need to look at it for carplay. thats the entire point. I use carplay exclusively in my mazda and its controlled entirely via the control knob when the car is in motion, no touch screen use ever.

I'd rather keep the dedicated AC controls, but if my options in the future are between having them in carplay or having them in the car maker's proprietary touch screen UI then give me carplay every single time. It will absolutely be the lesser of two evils.

 

[captaincranky]

As if the iPone itself doesn't cause enough highway fatalities, now these a**holes want you to do two things at once?

The next thing you know, they'll want to rig the iWatch, to control the phone, to then control the "iCar".

Isn't anybody who deals with these sm*cks, smart enough to say,, "enough is enough", then start a class action lawsuit?

 

[Hollow]

Wait until they sell you their new 169.00$ phone holders to put iPhones everywhere in your car.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Your car will need to go to an approved Apple mechanic .

Velvet ropes- Apple Bondage is so safe and nice - mustn't leave . Oh they love me , care about me , Control me, Comfort me , Close me in , Coerce me . So much fear - it's a dangerous world out there .

There's a lot of control in the car world - how many people go along to get the gps/media package updated - just drop you car off - be ready in 2 hours $300 later - sticks a usb stick in 5 minutes to update and reboot.
No we don't do $3 light bulbs anymore - $100 please . New key - $400 please .
Want to transfer to Android - $400 - plus $500 break fee . What to unbundle Apple $300 +$500 break fee .

Ok exaggeration - this is all unnecessary - your car knows you - will soon automatically know who is the driver and your preference - no need for a stinking phone company spying on you, controlling you . Cars already have profiles - for changing seat for drivers etc

 

[captaincranky]

Your car will need to go to an approved Apple mechanic .

Are you sure there' will be "an approved Apple mechanic" given Apple's track record, and there isn't an approved Apple phone repairman, well, other than Apple.

You car may have to be shipped back to Foxconn in China for the reboot.

 

[pelopidas]

Interesting to see so many one sided, misleading opinions here. Apparently no one here has ever used apple car play.
So for those out there spouting ignorant opinions let me help out a bit and explain what it is and how it works. It all starts with a magic button on the steering wheel. Push it. Then you say things like “directions to 123 Main Street” and maps automatically starts navigating. You get a text from someone, Siri reads it to you and asks if you want to reply. You say yes and dictate your reply. All of this is eyes on the road not touching your phone. Push the magic button again and say “call Bob” and the call is made. Push the button and say “play frank Sinatra” and your music plays. You decide to send a text. Push the button and say “send text to Louie” and dictate your text. All this with eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Oh and then you want to turn the AC on and your hands leave the wheel and your eyes off the road and go to the buttons so see if all settings are how you like them.
Now can the ignorant please stop having ignorant opinions because it hurts those who know.