Apple Gives CarPlay a Spin at Code/Mobile (Video)

Apple chose a couple flashy sets of wheels — a fire-engine red 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a jet black Hyundai Sonata — to attract attention to a new feature that connects iPhones to a car’s sound system.

CarPlay allows drivers to use the vehicle’s controls to activate Siri, place calls, use the navigation system, listen to music or access messages — all without picking up their iPhone.

In a demonstration at the Code/Mobile conference in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Apple showed off a new Pioneer audio system with the familiar Apple iPhone icons on its broad touchscreen. Apple’s familiar interface was also integrated into the Hyundai Sonata’s steering wheel on its in-dash touchscreen.

With the touch of a finger, we launched Siri, asked her to play some music (Adele), composed a message and found directions to the nearest Italian restaurant. We also used the touchscreen to launch apps like Spotify, and chose a message recipient by scrolling through a list of recent contacts.

Alpine and Pioneer will make radios incorporating CarPlay, while automakers Ferrari and Hyundai will offer CarPlay in their 2015 model-year vehicles. Some 30 car manufacturers, including high-end Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volvo, as well as mass market car companies like Ford, General Motors and Toyota, have announced plans to incorporate CarPlay in future vehicles.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Will you join us?

Our biggest supporters are our readers — and we’re so grateful to everyone who has made a contribution during our September campaign. We’re less than 1,000 contributions away from reaching our goal for the month, which in turn will allow us to say yes more often when our incredible journalists come to us with questions they want to answer and projects they want to pursue. Will you make a contribution before the month ends and support our policy coverage through 2024 and beyond?

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via