Along with many fellow car vendors, Honda back in January 2013 promised to roll out certain Accord and Acura models with integrated support for Apple’s Eyes Free.
In a blog post today, the Japanese car maker announced that Siri Eyes Free integration is available on the 2013-2014 Honda Accord and 2013 Acura RDX and ILX vehicles as a dealer-installed accessory.
As you know, Siri Eyes Free is a voice-activated system which allows drivers to interact with Siri on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad using their voice, without ever taking their hands off the steering wheel. It also helps minimize distractions by keeping an iOS device’s screen from lighting up.
With Siri Eyes Free, you can send, receive and read messages, set reminders and alarms, check the weather, stock quotes, sports scores, showtimes and other info and even use turn-by-turn navigation, all through the power of Siri’s spoken commands…
According to Honda’s blog post, new customers can visit a Honda or Acura dealership to purchase and install Siri Eyes Free integration.
The car maker reengineered its HondaLink and AcuraLink connected car systems for Siri so Apple’s feature “just works” with HandsFreeLink via the onboard microphone and speakers.
Honda listed the following features:
• sending text messages and e-mails
• reading incoming text messages and emails
• setting up calendar entries, reminders, and alarms
• checking the weather
• turn-by-turn voice navigation (when the audio system is set to Bluetooth® Audio or iPod mode)
• sports scores and stock quotes
For those wondering, Apple currently supports Siri on the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPad 3 and 4, iPad Air, iPad mini and fifth-generation iPod touch.
Apple is poised to take car integration further with iOS in the Car, a new iOS 7 feature (pictured below) which takes Eyes Free to the next level by allowing an iOS device to integrate with a vehicle’s in-dash system.
Apple’s iOS 7 webpage explains:
iOS in the Car seamlessly integrates your iOS device — and the iOS experience — with your in-dash system. If your vehicle is equipped with iOS in the Car, you can connect your iPhone 5 or later and interact with it using the car’s built-in display and controls or Siri Eyes Free.
Now you can easily and safely make phone calls, access your music, send and receive messages, get directions, and more. It’s all designed to let iPhone focus on what you need, so you can focus on the road.
Honda promised to reveal additional Siri Eyes Free functionality on its vehicles in a Google Hangout session on Tuesday, December 3, 2013.
“Join Honda and other connected car experts for the launch of Honda’s next generation of in-vehicle connectivity,” reads Honda’s Google+ page.
The “new smartphone integration” will be launching on the 2014 Civic, by which they likely mean iOS in the Car.