Honda Opens Its Arms To Siri

Prior to its release, Siri was surrounded by a lot of hype. Typically, though, once it was available to the public, complaints started cropping up. There really is no pleasing some people. The issue with Siri, though, is whether or not she really is useful to the average person. As of March last year, though, a study showed that 87% of iPhone 4S users still use Siri on a regular basis.

And there are other applications where Siri has been found to be useful. This guy even hacked together his own home automation system using Siri and Raspberry Pi. The automotive industry is not going to be left out of a potential value add-on to their products, of course, and it’s not the first time that we’re hearing about cars being equipped with Apple’s Siri.

Last year, General Motors announced that they were going to integrate Siri into two cars that are going to be rolled out this year. The Chevy Spark and the Chevy Sonic are supposed to have Siri integration, although other high end cars under the same company will not have the same treatment.

If General Motors is not your cup of tea, then maybe Honda is. Late in January, Honda announced that buyers of the Honda Accord and Acura RDX and ILX models for 2013 will have the option to have Siri integrated. Take note: it is not a stock option, but an add on.

While some iPhone users may not find much use for Siri on a daily basis, motorists will certainly benefit from Eyes Free mode, which is supposed to take the hands-free concept to the next level. In this mode, the screen is also kept from lighting up, with the idea that it helps lessen distractions to the driver even more.

In the news release, assistant vice president of automobile and planning of American Honda says:

“iPhone has become so integral to people’s lives that they continue to use them in their vehicles. Offering Honda and Acura owners Siri and its Eyes Free mode via Bluetooth is an incredible opportunity to provide next-generation connectivity and meet our customer’s ever-changing needs.”

In the market for a car this year and an iPhone user? You might want to wait for Honda’s roll out!

[Image via AutoWeek]