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Apr 12, 2001
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BMW has announced that Siri "Eyes Free" mode will be coming to all of its 2014 models in a new update to its ConnectedDrive Internet service, allowing iPhone users to interact with Siri in their BMWs without looking at their devices.
With the latest update to BMW iDrive, both Apple Siri and Samsung SVoice can be accessed through the vehicle's voice command controls. With a paired device, pressing and holding the steering wheel voice command button will engage the device's voice access. Pressing the steering wheel voice button without holding it will continue to access the vehicle's voice command functions.
siri_eyes_free_bmw.jpg
Previously, BMW had announced iOS app partnerships with Audible, TuneIn, Rhapsody and more. Last June, Apple announced that it was working on a new "Eyes Free" mode for Siri with car manufacturers. When it was announced at WWDC last year, Scott Forstall displayed a slide showing that Apple was working with BMW, Mercedes, GM, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda on the initiative.

Last November, Chevy announced that it was bringing "Eyes Free" mode to some of its car models while earlier this year Honda and Acura announced that it was coming to some of their models as well. Unlike those manufacturers, BMW is bringing "Eyes Free" mode to all of its 2014 car models and beyond.

Article Link: Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models
 

b33g33

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2012
31
0
Interesting. I would love it if this was a also a retrofit for earlier versions with a software update.

Hopefully, Siri will have gotten an upgrade by then as well with iOS7.

Right now, Google is so far ahead that it's depressing.
 

Jaredly

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2010
66
0
Please people do not use this while driving!!! It seems safer but it is not!! I have done studies at the university of Massachusetts that proves that hands free interaction with a cell phone is no safer than hands on interaction. You are still 5x more likely to crash using a phone hands free than no phone at all. Siri is a cool idea but it should not be used In a car.
 

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
Please people do not use this while driving!!! It seems safer but it is not!! I have done studies at the university of Massachusetts that proves that hands free interaction with a cell phone is no safer than hands on interaction. You are still 5x more likely to crash using a phone hands free than no phone at all. Siri is a cool idea but it should not be used In a car.

In that case all passengers, especially pets and children should be disallowed in cars. You should do a study on crash rates with rambunctious kids in the back seat or an overly playful dog. Or maybe a chatty SO.

Bottomline: life is dangerous. The nannystate can't prevent it.
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
interesting to see that apple can command the automotive industry to use this feature. but this is probably because the iPod success as a music player that made this, and this is probably why google and other companies won't be catching up soon with this kind of thing.

edit: didn't read the quote part, that its also include S voice. :eek:
 
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tigres

macrumors 601
Aug 31, 2007
4,213
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Land of the Free-Waiting for Term Limits
If I were BMW in charge of this decision, I would have told apple not yet, your still in beta.

Siri is so weak via bluetooth in the car hands free it's pathetic. IMO, it's so far and away weaker than Googles offering that they are in different leagues.

I can see it now, BMW service explaining to clients it's Siri not the 2014 BMW software integration.
 

Jaredly

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2010
66
0
In that case all passengers, especially pets and children should be disallowed in cars. You should do a study on crash rates with rambunctious kids in the back seat or an overly playful dog. Or maybe a chatty SO.

Bottomline: life is dangerous. The nannystate
can't prevent it.

We have done studies with kids and that is dangerous but that can not be prevented. As for other passengers; if you have up to 2 passengers in the car it is safer than driving alone but more than that the rate of crashes increases (all of our experiments are done on a simulator). Obviously some things have to be done and we must learn to live with the danger. But is it essential to have Siri write down something on your Calder while you drive? You can wait the 20 min to write that down when you're done driving. This seems pretty careless to me.

I understand some dangerous driving behavior can't be stopped but that doesn't mean we should use this since it is so easily avoidable.
 

GuitarDTO

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2011
687
110
If I were BMW in charge of this decision, I would have told apple not yet, your still in beta.

Siri is so weak via bluetooth in the car hands free it's pathetic. IMO, it's so far and away weaker than Googles offering that they are in different leagues.

I can see it now, BMW service explaining to clients it's Siri not the 2014 BMW software integration.

BMW's iDrive and Apps is worse than beta. They don't have a clue how to design a user friendly interface. My wife's 2012 X3 with Tech package is a joke as far as the user friendliness. She doesn't have a clue how to use half the features.

Anything Apple brings will be a huge improvement.
 

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
But is it essential to have Siri write down something on your Calder while you drive? You can wait the 20 min to write that down when you're done driving. This seems pretty careless to me.

We live in an age where attention spans are short and multitasking is essential. People are not going to change their ways. It's a bit idealistic to say "wait 20 min." When people have a thought that needs capturing they want to do it immediately, not later, assuming they remember. I'd rather people ask Siri to make an appointment than have them try to text it out themselves.
 

NightFox

macrumors 68040
May 10, 2005
3,234
4,456
Shropshire, UK
In that case all passengers, especially pets and children should be disallowed in cars. You should do a study on crash rates with rambunctious kids in the back seat or an overly playful dog. Or maybe a chatty SO.

Bottomline: life is dangerous. The nannystate can't prevent it.

The difference is doing what you suggest would be unrealistic, whereas what the OP proposes isn't, considering we've managed for over 100 years not to need to use phones whilst driving.

I don't deny that any distraction is dangerous, but there's obviously a pragmatic balance to be struck otherwise we wouldn't even have cars.
 

likemyorbs

macrumors 68000
Jul 20, 2008
1,956
5
NJ
I just leased mine 2013 a few months ago. Guess I'll be waiting 2.5 years for this feature. :(
 

tigres

macrumors 601
Aug 31, 2007
4,213
1,326
Land of the Free-Waiting for Term Limits
BMW's iDrive and Apps is worse than beta. They don't have a clue how to design a user friendly interface. My wife's 2012 X3 with Tech package is a joke as far as the user friendliness. She doesn't have a clue how to use half the features.

Anything Apple brings will be a huge improvement.


I have to agree with you there. I just got my wife an 06 325xi, and the iDrive is completely slow, nearly useless, and borderline dangerous to use while actually driving.
 

mysticbluebmw

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2009
249
34
In that case all passengers, especially pets and children should be disallowed in cars. You should do a study on crash rates with rambunctious kids in the back seat or an overly playful dog. Or maybe a chatty SO.

Bottomline: life is dangerous. The nannystate can't prevent it.

What you've failed to realize is that playing with your phone is a distraction easily controlled...just don't do it. Other distractions, such as the one's you've mentioned, not so much. Nothing wrong with limiting risk where you can.
 

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
The difference is doing what you suggest would be unrealistic, whereas what the OP proposes isn't, considering we've managed for over 100 years not to need to use phones whilst driving.

I don't deny that any distraction is dangerous, but there's obviously a pragmatic balance to be struck otherwise we wouldn't even have cars.

See my post above yours.

But directly to your post... we lived without cars for even more than 100 years. Before the early 1900s virtually no one died from a car accident. Back then people were saying it was a dangerous machine and should not be allowed in the public's hands... sound familiar?

Today we'd say banning cars wouldn't be pragmatic. But then why isn't hands-free a pragmatic compromise to hands-on operation, especially when enforcing the prohibition of the latter is not effective? It seems to me that people will naturally use hands-free if available. Nobody wants to take their hands off the wheel.


What you've failed to realize is that playing with your phone is a distraction easily controlled...just don't do it. Other distractions, such as the one's you've mentioned, not so much. Nothing wrong with limiting risk where you can.

But I'm not talking about playing with a phone. I'm talking about asking short requests to a voice operated computer, which is what Siri is. And guess what, many cars, including BMWs already have voice command, which sometimes works, sometimes not. I've yet to hear the consumers safety commission or anyone else suggested voice command is more dangerous than actually physically changing the A/C temp or radio station, things which require one to look away from the road.
 
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