Will Siri Upgrades In iOS 7 Improve In-Car Functionality?

With AppRadio 3 you have the option of using Siri when connected to an iPhone 5. Long-pressing the home button on the head unit activates the voice assistant which can accept various iPod commands, read your text messages or give you directions using Maps. But the functionality is quite limited.

In my AppRadio 3 review in July, I mentioned a few issues that exist with voice commands. One major thing Siri couldn't do was launch apps. When given the command to do so, you get the response, "Sorry. To ensure your safety your vehicle won't let me help you with that right now".

Although Siri says it's the vehicle (or in other words, the AppRadio 3) preventing it from launching apps, I think it's a restriction of Siri itself. This feature can be enabled by Apple but it is probably disabled due to safety concerns while driving.

Apple is scheduled to announce its new iPhone on September 10th with a rumored launch on September 20th. iOS 7 will also be available to everyone on that day.

With iOS 7, Siri is going to get performance upgrades, a new look and sounds. It will also be able to do extra tasks like returning calls, playing voicemail messages and even control iTunes Radio, the new streaming music service from Apple.

Whether all these new capabilities will be available in the car remains to be seen. Apple has definitely made a conscious effort to limit Siri functionality while driving to reduce the possibility of distraction.

Siri Eyes Free (or simply voice commands with AppRadio 3) is still far from perfect. Hopefully the functionality will continue to expand and improve. I'm sure a lot of people are still awaiting for the day we can talk to our cars, albeit through our smartphone, like Michael Knight did with KITT.

KITT from the TV Series "Knight Rider"

Siri image source: Apple
KITT image source: Soshable